Application of Virtual Reality in Neuro-Rehabilitation: an Overview

Virtual reality (VR) collectively refers to the realistic, albeit artificial environments that are simulated by computer and are experienced by end-users via human-machine interfaces involving multiple sensory channels. In this respect, comparable technical solutions are applicable across different domains such as cyberspace, virtual environments, teleoperation, telerobotics, augmented reality, and synthetic environments. This makes application possible in a variety of conditions such as (1) design, engineering, manufacturing, and marketing; (2) medicine and healthcare; (3) online monitoring of children and the elderly at home and accident prevention; (4) hazardous operations in extreme or hostile surroundings; and (5) training in military and industrial machine operation, medical teaching and surgery planning/training. An implement of VR with live direct or indirect view of a physical real-world environment whose elements are purportedly enhanced (augmented) by virtual computer-generated imagery to meet the viewer needs, Augmented Reality is extensively used in open surgery, virtual endoscopy, radiosurgery, neuropsychological assessment and medical rehabilitation. Application in psychotherapy ranked 3rd among 38 psychotherapy interventions predicted to increase in use in the next future (Gorini & Riva, 2008a; Gorini & Riva, 2008b). Application in rehabilitation is increasing and expanding; innovative technical solutions in motor and sensory-cognitive rehabilitation result in substantial developments from the available procedures and in prototypes for clinical testing. The clinical results appear promising.