Virtual reality in rehabilitation of spinal cord injuries: A case report

Advances in information technology offer new opportunities for rehabilitation. In particular, the immersion capability provided by a synthetic environment could be exploited to design novel assistive devices. In virtual reality (VR), users navigate and interact with 3-D, computer-generated environments that are highly flexible and programmable, enabling the therapist to present a variety of controlled stimuli and to measure and monitor responses. VR provides a powerful means of increasing levels of environmental interaction in a highly controlled and structured manner. In this article, an overview is given of the design issues of a VR-enhanced orthopedic appliance used in rehabilitation of a person with spinal cord injury.