Haptic effects for virtual reality-based post-stroke rehabilitation

The majority of today\´s haptic interfaces are designed for hand-based interaction with virtual environments. However, there are several real-life tasks that require a person to interact with the environment using one\´s foot. Researchers have developed systems for simulating walking in a virtual environment. This paper describes a different approach to foot based interactions, intended for users in sitting position. A VR-based rehabilitation system using a prototype "Rutgers Ankle" device is presented, along with the methods of enhancing interaction realism through haptic feedback. Two application examples used for post-stroke patient rehabilitation are presented. Initial results from pilot clinical testing are briefly described.