This Augmented Reality (AR) based revalidation project is part of the HandForce project developed by the Fontys Paramedical School. HandForce focuses on innovative solutions for stroke rehabilitation. This subproject focuses on integrating Augmented Reality into the rehabilitation process. Stroke victims often struggle with fine motor skills leading to difficulty with simple daily tasks like for example drinking coffee.
Project description
The goal of our Minor BeCreative project is to design, build and test a system that helps stroke patients regain the use of their hand. Normally, stroke patients must undergo an intensive physiotherapy assisted by a trained professional, however, The designed system should allow stroke victims to train independently at home. The role of the augmented reality is to add visual elements to the physical space and provide visual feedback on exercises. The goal was to create a gamified path to regaining use of hands and provide personalized feedback on exercises.
Project results
Our project involved evaluating two distinct headsets: the Quest Pro and the HoloLens 2. Each headset has its own set of advantages and drawbacks. We designed exercises for both devices to compare their performance.
Virtual Cup Exercise: Users interacted with a virtual cup, moving it from one location to another. The Quest Pro also featured a companion website where users could view headset usage statistics. This could benefit physiotherapists monitoring patients. Additionally, we prototyped a cup with an embedded controller, allowing position tracking. However, this feature remains unimplemented in the software.
User Preference and Stroke Patients: We gathered feedback from various users, including stroke patients. The Quest Pro emerged as the preferred choice for the following reasons: its powerful processor delivered smoother graphics, the wider field of vision enhanced immersion, users appreciated the headset’s functionality but expressed concerns about UI design and controller weight.
Our conclusion: further research in this area is highly recommended.
Video
Acknowledgments
When developing HandForce, we worked closely with various stakeholders to ensure that the gamified exercises fit well with the needs and capabilities of the patients. This collaboration included consultations with stroke patients, physiotherapists, and experts from Fontys Paramedical school.