Gesture therapy -: A low-cost vision-based system for rehabilitation after stroke

An important goal for rehabilitation engineering is to develop technology that allows individuals with stroke to practice intensive movement training without the expense of an always-present therapist. We have developed a low-cost, computer vision system that allows individuals with stroke to practice arm movement exercises at home or at the clinic, with periodic interactions with a therapist. The system integrates a web-based system for facilitating repetitive movement training, with state-of-the art computer vision algorithms that track the hand of a patient and obtain its 3-D coordinates, using two inexpensive cameras and a conventional personal computer. An initial prototype of the system has been evaluated in a pilot clinical study with positive results.