Development and Evaluation of a Virtual Reality Center of Pressure Movement System

Rehabilitation typically increases a patient's recovery speed and allows them to become more self-sufficient. During rehabilitation, patients' perception and mindset has an impact on the quality and rate of their recovery. Virtual reality (VR) could play a significant role in rehabilitation to enhance positive patient perception and enthusiasm. Studies have found that participants in a VR program found more enjoyment during their rehabilitation than the non-VR equivalent. This study focused on the development of the hardware and software needed to implement a center of pressure and vertical ground reaction force-based VR movement system. Following development, the system was compared to thumb-stick controls by measuring exertion and immersion levels of users navigating a virtual reality environment while using an Oculus VR headset. During the experiment, each participant used either the novel system or a thumb-stick to control both movement speed and direction. The novel system was found to significantly increase player exertion and immersion levels relative to the thumb-stick controls. We hope that research performed may be used to create and/or improve virtual reality systems to assist in locomotion rehabilitation therapies.