Virtual reality rehabilitation App (upper body)

Abstract

Disseny d’aplicacions de Realitat Virtual per a tractaments de fisioteràpia.

Currently, virtual reality (environment of scenes or objects of real appearance) is in full growth and is having more and more repercussion. Its use covers many sectors, such as the training sector, medicine and entertainment. This project has been created for the medical sector and its objective is to develop a virtual reality application for physiotherapeutic rehabilitation treatments. In order to carry out the development, a platform for the creation of computer applications has been used (Unity3D), together with a motion capture sensor (Kinect), virtual reality glasses (HTC Vive) and the phpMyAdmin software for the creation of databases. Both physiotherapists and patients can use this application. Patients can select and do an exercise and physiotherapists can see the record of their patients to be able to track them accurately. Regarding the physiotherapy exercises, the patient has to follow the movements of an avatar that he can see through the HTC Vive glasses and he also sees his own body in the form of another avatar. For each exercise, the maximum angle of the right and left arm and the degree of asymmetry are calculated and the results are added to the patient's record. The final goal of this application is to make physiotherapy exercises less repetitive and more entertaining for patients. In conclusion, the virtual reality applied to the rehabilitation of patients is a subject that can open new doors in the field of physiotherapy.