Virtual Reality in rehabilitation: a user perspective

Abstract

In rehabilitation stroke and Multiple sclerosis (MS) are two very common causes of motor disability in adults. Traditional rehabilitation is very time-consuming and expensive. Therefore, rehabilitation professionals are looking to Virtual Reality (VR) technology in order to assist patients on their path to function better in their daily lives. Recent studies have mostly investigated the end results of VR therapy, but the user experience has been less studied. This working paper presents a thematic review of recent studies to highlight the advantages and disadvantages of VR solutions in motor rehabilitation from the user perspective. Our findings suggest that VR rehabilitation can be more motivating for the patient than traditional rehabilitation, but current VR interventions are often overly simplistic and not customized for the user. This presents opportunities for innovative service design.