Development of Virtual Reality-based Visual Perception and Cognitive Rehabilitation Service

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Patients with brain damage suffer from limitations in performing the activities of daily living (ADL) because of their motor function and visual perception impairment. The aim of this study was to help improve the motor function and visual perception ability of patients with brain damage by providing them with virtual reality-based contents. The usability results of the patients and specialists group were also evaluated. METHODS: The ADL contents consisted of living room, kitchen, veranda, and convenience store, similar to a real home environment, and these were organized by a rehabilitation specialist (e.g., neurologist, physiotherapist, and occupational therapist). The contents consisted of tasks, such as turning on the living room lights, organizing the drawers, organizing the kitchen, watering the plants on the veranda, and buying products at convenience stores. To evaluate the usability of the virtual reality-based visual cognitive rehabilitation service, general elderly subjects (n=11), stroke patients (n=7), stroke patients with visual impairment (n=4), and rehabilitation specialists (n=11) were selected. The questionnaires were distributed to the subjects who were using the service, and the subjective satisfaction of individual users was obtained as data. The data were analyzed using SPSS 21.0 software. The general characteristics of the users and the evaluation scores of the experts were analyzed using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: The usability test result of this study showed that the mean value of the questionnaire related to content understanding and difficulty was high, between 4–5 points. CONCLUSION: The virtual reality rehabilitation service of this study is an efficient service that can improve the function, interest, and motivation of stroke patients.