Virtual Reality and Gamification in Rehabilitation: Enhancing Patient Engagement in the Buzz-Wire Maze Task

Virtual reality (VR) has recently emerged as a promising tool in rehabilitation, providing an interactive environment that can improve the motivation and engagement of patients. The potential of VR-based rehabilitation can be further expanded by means of gamification – the integration of game-like elements into non-gaming contexts. This study investigates the impact of VR and gamification on performance in a handheld buzz-wire maze task, which can be used in post-stroke rehabilitation. Participants (N=27) performed the task by guiding a tracking ring along a wire and trying to avoid contact, across three conditions: traditional mirror therapy, VR without gamification, and VR with gamification. Results showed significant improvements in performance in terms of decreased time and number of mistakes over repeated trials in all conditions. However, gamification did not produce consistent short-term gains in speed or accuracy. Although participants performed comparably in VR and the real-world condition, error rates (number of touches) remained higher in VR. Subjective feedback indicated mixed preferences, with many participants finding VR more engaging but the real environment easier to control. Overall, these findings support the potential of VR and gamification for motor training, while also highlighting areas for further refinement.