An Upper Extremity Rehabilitation System Using Virtual Reality Technology

Improvements in information technology have caused the care industry to change its focus from disease diagnosis and treatment to innovative service protocols in various types of mobile health. This study assists the medical rehabilitation industry in conducting R&D applications and designed three types of rehabilitation treatment movements to train arm muscle endurance, joints, and arms. These movements were combined with Oculus Rift, Myo armband, Leap Motion, and other virtual reality (VR) and electromyography (EMG) interactive control devices to develop a multi-integrated rehabilitation system to assist patients undergoing VR rehabilitation Based on the definition of the American Occupational Therapy Association, "occupational therapy" refers to the use of targeted activity to treat or assist patients with physiological, psychological, and/or social impairment. Occupational therapy enables patients to obtain independence in life, prevent physical deformities, and regain their former quality of life. Before rehabilitation was conducted, the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) was employed to evaluate the overall severity of stroke patients. Our study also introduced proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) as a rehabilitation method and applied it as an extension technique to increase the range of motion of joints in stroke patients. We hope that integrating VR and physiotherapy can stimulate the visual senses through VR, increase the patient's willingness to undergo rehabilitation, increase efficacy, and shorten the entire treatment duration.