Bridging the Rehabilitation Gap: A Virtual Reality Approach to Fine Motor Skill Recovery with Instrumented Glove

Rehabilitation is a critical component of universal health coverage, aiding individuals in achieving independence in daily living activities and engaging in significant life roles. Rehabilitation services are largely unmet in low- and middle-income countries where over 50% of those in need do not receive necessary services. Virtual rehabilitation systems offer a promising solution to extend rehabilitation to the home, complementing traditional therapy and enhancing patient motivation. This study aims to develop and preliminarily evaluate a virtual rehabilitation system using an instrumented glove for fine motor rehabilitation. The focus is precise data capture for measuring finger range of motion, goal-oriented activities and enhancing motivational elements through serious games. The study involved ten children with fine motor problems undergoing ten 20-minute sessions over six days. The virtual rehabilitation system incorporated serious games and used an instrumented glove to measure finger range of motion and provide feedback. Engagement and motivation were assessed using the Pittsburgh Rehabilitation Participation Scale (PRPS). The PRPS scores indicated high engagement and motivation among participants, with most scores being four or above. Participants exhibited a positive trend in engagement levels over the sessions, suggesting increased comfort and familiarity with the system. Variability in engagement levels highlighted the need for individualized approaches in rehabilitation. The virtual rehabilitation system has the potential to significantly impact the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3, which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all. By enabling home-based rehabilitation, the system reduces the need for physical space and resources in traditional centers, thereby lowering overall costs and improving accessibility to underserved populations.