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- Open Rehab initiative: second development iterationPublication . Freitas, Diogo; Paulino, Teresa; Bermúdez i Badia, Sergi; Llorens, Roberto; Deutsch, Judith E.A substantial part of rehabilitation tools are developed in the context of research projects, which rarely reach their target audience, in particular clinicians and patients. To address this challenge, the Open Rehab Initiative (ORI) emerged as an international independent online portal with the goal of connecting clinicians, scientists, engineers, game developers, and end-users to interact and share virtual rehabilitation tools. The quality and efficacy of such platform can only be attained iteratively based on a user-centered design approach. This paper describes the design process and features implemented on the second development iteration subsequent to a formative evaluation of the first version of ORI. The main goal of the second iteration was to implement new features and make the platform functional and ready for a second evaluation process with beta testers, which will certainly prompt new features for improvement and will serve as a step toward the final release of the site.
- Virtual reality for sensorimotor rehabilitation post stroke: design principles and evidencePublication . Bermúdez i Badia, Sergi; Fluet, Gerard G.; Llorens, Roberto; Deutsch, Judith E.n the recent years, the use of virtual reality (VR) to enhance motor skills of persons with activity and participation restriction due to disease or injury has been become an important area of research. In this chapter, we describe the design of such VR systems and their underlying principles, such as experience-dependent neuroplasticity and motor learning. Further, psychological constructs related to motivation including salience, goal setting, and rewards are commonly utilized in VR to optimize motivation during rehabilitation activities. Hence, virtually simulated activities are considered to be ideal for (1) the delivery of specifi c feedback, (2) the a bility to perform large volumes of training, and (3) the presentation of precisely calibrated diffi culty levels, which maintain a high level of challenge throughout long training sessions. These underlying principles are contrasted with a growing body of research comparing the effi cacy of VR with traditionally presented rehabilitation activities in persons with stroke that demonstrate comparable or better outcomes for VR. In addition, a small body of literature has utilized direct assays of neuroplasticity to evaluate the effects of virtual rehabilitation interventions in persons with stroke. Promising developments and fi ndings also arise from the use of off-the-s helf video game systems for virtual rehabilitation purposes and the integration of VR with robots and brain-computer interfaces. Several challenges limiting the translation of virtual rehabilitation into routine rehabilitation practice need to be addressed but the fi eld continues to hold promise to answer key issues faced by modern healthcare.