Innovative haptic-based system for upper limb rehabilitation in visually impaired individuals: a multilayer approach

Albusac, Javier; Herrera, Vanesa; Schez-Sobrino, Santiago; Grande, Rubén; Vallejo, David; Monekosso, Dorothy

Abstract

The integration of technology in healthcare has revolutionized physical rehabilitation of patients affected by neurological conditions, such as spinal cord injuries and strokes. However, a significant gap remains in addressing the needs of the visually impaired, as most current solutions are visually-centric. This paper presents a novel haptic-based system tailored for the visually impaired that aims to bridge this gap in upper limb rehabilitation. The system is underpinned by a multi-layer architecture that allows both patient guidance during rehabilitation and the definition and analysis of exercises by the therapist. The architecture design includes functionality to track the user's body by means of natural user interfaces, to register the user's movement, and to guide them through the vibrations of the haptic glove or through voice commands. Thus, the proposed solution empowers visually impaired individuals to perform therapist-defined hand exercises autonomously, fostering independence and optimizing therapeutic resources. The system captures detailed kinematic data, offering therapists a comprehensive insight into the patient's exercise execution. To assess the system's functionality, a pilot trial was conducted. This study also allowed us to compare the similarity of exercise performance under vibration-based guidance to the exercises defined by the therapist with that of verbal guidance. The results highlighted a significant increase in similarity to therapist-defined exercises when using the vibration-based guidance facilitated by the designed haptic glove.

Citation

Albusac, J., Herrera, V., Schez-Sobrino, S., Grande, R., Vallejo, D., & Monekosso, D. (2024). Innovative haptic-based system for upper limb rehabilitation in visually impaired individuals: a multilayer approach. Multimedia Tools and Applications, 83(21), 60537-60563. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11042-023-17892-4

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Dec 13, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Dec 29, 2023
• Publication Date: 2024-06
• Deposit Date: Mar 8, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 11, 2024
• Journal: Multimedia Tools and Applications
• Print ISSN: 1380-7501
• Electronic ISSN: 1573-7721
• Publisher: Springer
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 83
• Issue: 21
• Pages: 60537-60563
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11042-023-17892-4
• Keywords: upper-limb rehabilitation; visual impairments; haptic feedback; vibration guidance; spinal cord injuries; stroke
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/2313502