Abstract
Stroke frequently results in upper limb impairment, and effective recovery depends on early, intensive, and sustained rehabilitation. However, after hospital discharge, patients often face barriers such as limited clinical support, fatigue, and low motivation, which can reduce engagement with conventional therapy.This thesis investigates the use of commercially available virtual reality (VR) technology to support accessible, home-based upper limb rehabilitation. It proposes a novel adaptive, game-based VR system that uses hand tracking and natural gestures to deliver personalised rehabilitation exercises. The system was developed through a user-centred design process, incorporating iterative feedback from healthy participants, stroke survivors, and clinicians.
The research demonstrates that user movement capabilities can be modelled and monitored within VR, enabling dynamic adjustment of task difficulty to suit individual needs. The system supports personalised rehabilitation by adapting exercises over time and providing engaging, interactive experiences.
Evaluation through user studies indicates that the adaptive VR approach is usable, enjoyable, and capable of maintaining user engagement over repeated sessions. Participants reported a preference for VR-based rehabilitation over traditional methods, and results suggest the system can support more consistent participation in therapy.
Overall, the findings indicate that an appropriately designed adaptive VR system has strong potential to provide personalised, engaging, and accessible rehabilitation, supporting improved participation and motor recovery.
| Date of Award | May 2019 |
|---|---|
| Original language | English |
| Supervisor | Darryl Charles (Supervisor), Sally McClean (Supervisor) & Philip Morrow (Supervisor) |
Keywords
- virtual reality
- stroke
- rehabilitation
- VR
- games
- gamification
- Fitt's Law
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