Occupational Therapists´ Evaluation of Haptic Motor Rehabilitation

Haptic-based virtual rehabilitation systems have recently become a subject of interest. In addition to the benefits provided by virtual rehabilitation, the haptic-based systems offer force and tactile feedback which can be for upper and lower extremity rehabilitation. In this paper, we present a system that uses haptics, in conjunction with virtual environments, to provide a rich media environment for motor rehabilitation of stroke patients. The system also provides Occupational Therapists (OTs) with a Graphical User Interface (GUI) that enables them to configure the hardware and virtual exercises and to monitor patients´ performance. We also present an analysis of the system by a group of OTs from the Ottawa General Hospital, Rehabilitation Center. The OT´s feedback, both the positives and negatives, and the results of the assessment test are also presented.