Feasibility, usability and engagement of a tangible interface for upper limb rehabilitation after stroke.

Here we present a study that explores the feasibility, user engagement, and usability of an interactive system that involves the use of tangible objects with various shapes and properties to interact with virtual tasks designed for upper limb rehabilitation following a stroke. We evaluated five different types of interaction modalities, including three grasps modalities (power grasp, lateral grasp and tripod grasp) and two strength modalities. These were tested using five basic game-like tasks with a total of 20 stroke patients.

The relationship between healthcare satisfaction after miscarriage and perinatal grief symptoms: A cross-sectional study on Portugal residents.

Objective: 15-20% of identified pregnancies result in miscarriage, which may lead to persistent symptoms of psychological morbidities in some women. Healthcare satisfaction is among the factors believed to influence such negative psychological responses. Here, we present the results of a study conducted in Portugal that analyzes the relationship between healthcare satisfaction, information and support provision and perinatal grief symptoms.

The psychological impact of Early Pregnancy Loss in Portugal: incidence and the effect on psychological morbidity.

Introduction: Worldwide, up to a quarter of all recognized pregnancies result in Early Pregnancy Loss (EPL), also known as miscarriage. For many women, this is a traumatic experience that leads to persistent negative mental health responses. The most common morbidity reported in studies from different countries is complicated grief, usually comorbid with depression, anxiety, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

The impact of exergames on the functional balance of a teenager with cerebral palsy - a case report.

Purpose: To understand the impact of an intensive rehabilitation program based on exergames in balance and lower limb function in a teenager with cerebral palsy.

Methods: The rehabilitation program comprised different customised exergames and was delivered in 5 weekly sessions of 30 min for 4 weeks. Pre-, post-, and 1-month Follow-up assessments included the following metrics: Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Dynamic Gait Index (DGI), Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM), Posturography, and Gait analysis.

The Benefits of Custom Exergames for Fitness, Balance, and Health-Related Quality of Life: A Randomized Controlled Trial with Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

This research aimed to measure the benefits in older adults' motor performance and quality of life during a 12-week-long multidimensional training combining custom-made exergames and traditional exercise in a complementary manner, compared with traditional training alone. Community-dwelling older adults participated in a randomized controlled trial ( = 31) consisting of two weekly exercise sessions of 60 minutes for 12 weeks. Participants allocated to the exergames group ( = 15) had one individual session of exergames and one traditional exercise group session per week.

The use of game modes to promote engagement and social involvement in multi-user serious games: a within-person randomized trial with stroke survivors.

Background: Serious games are promising for stroke rehabilitation, with studies showing a positive impact on reducing motor and cognitive deficits. However, most of the evidence is in the context of single-user rehabilitation, and little is known concerning the impact in multi-user settings. This study evaluates the impact that different game modes can have on engagement and social involvement during a two-user game.

Impact of game mode in multi-user serious games for upper limb rehabilitation: a within-person randomized trial on engagement and social involvement.

Background: Serious games have been increasingly used for motor rehabilitation. However, it is not well known how different game features can be used to impact specific skills properly. Here, we study how the mode (competitive, co-active, collaborative) in which a multi-user game is presented impacts engagement and social involvement.

Lessons Learned from Gamifying Functional Fitness Training Through Human-Centered Design Methods in Older Adults.

The design of meaningful and enjoyable Exergames for fitness training in older adults possesses critical challenges in matching user's needs and motivators with game elements. These challenges are often due to the lack of knowledge of seniors' game preferences and technology literacy as well as a poor involvement of the target population in the design process. This research aims at describing a detailed and scrutinized use case of applying human-centered design methodologies in the gamification of fitness training routines and illustrates how to incorporate seniors' feedback in the game design pipeline.

Toward Emotionally Adaptive Virtual Reality for Mental Health Applications.

Here, we introduce the design and preliminary validation of a general-purpose architecture for affective-driven procedural content generation in virtual reality (VR) applications in mental health and wellbeing. The architecture supports seven commercial physiological sensing technologies and can be deployed in immersive and non-immersive VR systems. To demonstrate the concept, we developed the "The Emotional Labyrinth," a non-linear scenario in which navigation in a procedurally generated three-dimensional maze is entirely decided by the user, and whose features are dynamically adapted according to a set of emotional states.

Combined Cognitive-Motor Rehabilitation in Virtual Reality Improves Motor Outcomes in Chronic Stroke - A Pilot Study.

Stroke is one of the most common causes of acquired disability, leaving numerous adults with cognitive and motor impairments, and affecting patients' capability to live independently. Virtual Reality (VR) based methods for stroke rehabilitation have mainly focused on motor rehabilitation but there is increasing interest toward the integration of cognitive training for providing more effective solutions. Here we investigate the feasibility for stroke recovery of a virtual cognitive-motor task, the Reh@Task, which combines adapted arm reaching, and attention and memory training.

The impact of positive, negative and neutral stimuli in a virtual reality cognitive-motor rehabilitation task: a pilot study with stroke patients.

Background: Virtual Reality (VR) based methods for stroke rehabilitation have mainly focused on motor rehabilitation, but there is increasing interest in integrating motor and cognitive training to increase similarity to real-world settings. Unfortunately, more research is needed for the definition of which type of content should be used in the design of these tools. One possibility is the use of emotional stimuli, which are known to enhance attentional processes.

Coaching or gaming? Implications of strategy choice for home based stroke rehabilitation.

Background: The enduring aging of the world population and prospective increase of age-related chronic diseases urge the implementation of new models for healthcare delivery. One strategy relies on ICT (Information and Communications Technology) home-based solutions allowing clients to pursue their treatments without institutionalization. Stroke survivors are a particular population that could strongly benefit from such solutions, but is not yet clear what the best approach is for bringing forth an adequate and sustainable usage of home-based rehabilitation systems.

The combined impact of virtual reality neurorehabilitation and its interfaces on upper extremity functional recovery in patients with chronic stroke.

Background And Purpose: Although there is strong evidence on the beneficial effects of virtual reality (VR)-based rehabilitation, it is not yet well understood how the different aspects of these systems affect recovery. Consequently, we do not exactly know what features of VR neurorehabilitation systems are decisive in conveying their beneficial effects.

Methods: To specifically address this issue, we developed 3 different configurations of the same VR-based rehabilitation system, the Rehabilitation Gaming System, using 3 different interface technologies: vision-based tracking, haptics, and a passive exoskeleton.

Neurorehabilitation using the virtual reality based Rehabilitation Gaming System: methodology, design, psychometrics, usability and validation.

Background: Stroke is a frequent cause of adult disability that can lead to enduring impairments. However, given the life-long plasticity of the brain one could assume that recovery could be facilitated by the harnessing of mechanisms underlying neuronal reorganization. Currently it is not clear how this reorganization can be mobilized.

The rehabilitation gaming system: a review.

Stroke will become one of the main burdens of disease and loss of quality of life in the near future. However, we still have not found rehabilitation approaches that can scale up so as to face this challenge. Virtual reality based therapy systems are a great promise for directly addressing this challenge.