Computer Game-Based Telerehabilitation Platform Targeting Manual Dexterity: Exercise Is Fun. “You Are Kidding—Right?”

Abstract

There is a need for innovation to improve the engagement and accessibility of rehabilitation programs for children and adults with upper extremity motor impairments due to neurodevelopmental disorders, acquired brain injuries, or spinal cord injuries. For this purpose, a computer game-based telerehabilitation platform (GTP) was developed to address this need. Through the application of a miniature inertial-based computer mouse and the wide variety of commercial computer games, the developed GTP can provide engaging task-specific exercises for the rehabilitation of manual dexterity (object handling and manipulation). A purpose-built repetitive task practice software (RTP) was also developed to gather event data and synchronize it with patient movements during gameplays. This provides automated monitoring and quantification of patients’ motor skills, while they practice a range of game-based exercises with their hand and/or arm. The GTP would initially be used in a supervised clinical setting followed by a transition to function at home and be monitored by clinician specialists. Clinical support for home and rural communities, with protocols that can be easily updated, will help increase accessibility to targeted and personalized solutions for patients and achieve the desired training effect.

Keywords

• cerebral palsy
• stroke
• manual dexterity
• upper extremity rehabilitation
• computer game-based rehabilitation
• repetitive task practice