Personalized 3D exergames for in-home rehabilitation after stroke: a pilot study

Abstract

Purpose

To describe a novel 3-dimensional (3D) exergames system and the results of a clinical feasibility study of stroke survivors needing in-home rehabilitation.

Materials and methods

The customisable Personalized In-home eXErgames for Rehabilitation (PIXER) system captures the user’s image, generates a live model, and incorporates it into a virtual exergame. PIXER provides a recording system for home exercise programs (HEPs) by adapting virtual objects, customizes the exergame and creates a digital diary. Ten persons with stroke, performed HEPs with PIXER for 1 month, and without PIXER for 2 additional months. In-game performance data, measures of physical functioning (PF) including Stroke Impact Scale (SIS), Timed Up & Go (TUG) and Goal Attainment (GA) Scale obtained at baseline, 1- and 3 months were evaluated.

Results

Seventy percent of participants completed the 1-month timepoint, 50% completed all timepoints. In-game data: Number of repetitions completed; Anomalies reported; and Percentage of bubbles hit showed positive trends. Compared to baseline, all SIS physical functioning (PF) scores were higher at 1 month, TUG scores showed no overall improvement and GA scale scores were 77% at 3 months.

Conclusion

It is feasible for community-dwelling patients to perform HEP after stroke using PIXER, a novel, exergames system, and potentially improve their function.

IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION

• Home Exercises performed using a novel, 3-dimensional, customizable Personalized In-home eXErgames for Rehabilitation (PIXER) system is feasible for community-dwelling patients after stroke.

• In-game performance data obtained in this clinical pilot study showed positive trends of improvement in several study participants.

• PIXER has potential to improve functional outcomes for community-dwelling adults with stroke.

Keywords:

• Rehabilitation
• stroke
• computer games
• exercise therapy

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the contributions to this project made by Una Makris, Cody Wolfe, Aleksander Boressen, Yu-Yen Cheng and Sagnik Dakshit.

Disclosure statement

One author (TA) performed the work reported in this manuscript while under the full-time employment of the US Federal Government. No authors have any real or perceived conflicts of interest to disclose, in connection with the manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

This study was partly funded by a pilot study grant from the Mobility Foundation at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Centre, Dallas, TX, USA. This material is based upon work supported by the US Army Research Office (ARO) Grant W911NF-17-1-0299. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the ARO.