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A VR platform for assessment and intervention of disabilities leading to body representation disorders
This project aims to develop and validate an easy-to-use, versatile and cloud Virtual Reality (VR) platform, combining customizable visual scenarios and Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS), for the assessment and intervention of disabilities leading to body representation disorders. On one hand, the system holds potential to gather closer insights on how patients perceive their body due to their condition. On the other hand, the platform would exploit VR features to create personalized and interactive scenarios for rehabilitation purposes.
Keywords: VR, TENS, Cloud Platform, Body Representation, FBI, Rehabilitation
Our body experience emerges as a result of the interaction of several perceptual inputs (vision, touch, proprioception, motor control, vestibular sensation and interoception) [1]. For interacting with the environment, these inputs are processed by the brain to build an internal representation of our body [2] [3] and of the space where the interaction occurs [4].
Due to their disabilities, stroke patients, as well as diabetic neuropathic patients and amputees may have distorted body representations and therefore perceive their limbs (phantom limb for amputees) as shorter, longer or displaced [5] [6].
VR is emerging as an encouraging technology to objectively and reliably quantify these distortions. Moreover, VR features could foster the use of multisensory integration techniques to induce full body ownership illusion – i.e the illusion of owning the virtual body [7]– which holds potential to modulate distorted body representations [6].
Our body experience emerges as a result of the interaction of several perceptual inputs (vision, touch, proprioception, motor control, vestibular sensation and interoception) [1]. For interacting with the environment, these inputs are processed by the brain to build an internal representation of our body [2] [3] and of the space where the interaction occurs [4]. Due to their disabilities, stroke patients, as well as diabetic neuropathic patients and amputees may have distorted body representations and therefore perceive their limbs (phantom limb for amputees) as shorter, longer or displaced [5] [6]. VR is emerging as an encouraging technology to objectively and reliably quantify these distortions. Moreover, VR features could foster the use of multisensory integration techniques to induce full body ownership illusion – i.e the illusion of owning the virtual body [7]– which holds potential to modulate distorted body representations [6].
The student will be guided in understanding the neuroscientific basis explaining the way we perceive our body. He will also be introduced to the state of the art of VR development and application in studying and treating body-related disorders starting from scientific literature. The student will help in developing and validating a unique VR platform assessing and modulating body related perception.
Its major contribution would be on the technological development of the platform. However, he will test some of its features on healthy subjects and patients. More specifically the student will:
1) Develop the technological framework of the VR platform allowing an easy navigation between different VR scenarios, optimal integration with the electrical TENS stimulator driver and efficient VR avatar and space calibration.
2) Develop an easy-to-use app within Unity, to be easily used by a third-party user.
3) Perform the technological validation of some of the VR platform features on healthy subjects and chronic stroke patients
4) Propose a long-term protocol for validating the rehabilitation component of the platform compared to conventional stroke rehabilitation.
The student will be guided in understanding the neuroscientific basis explaining the way we perceive our body. He will also be introduced to the state of the art of VR development and application in studying and treating body-related disorders starting from scientific literature. The student will help in developing and validating a unique VR platform assessing and modulating body related perception. Its major contribution would be on the technological development of the platform. However, he will test some of its features on healthy subjects and patients. More specifically the student will: 1) Develop the technological framework of the VR platform allowing an easy navigation between different VR scenarios, optimal integration with the electrical TENS stimulator driver and efficient VR avatar and space calibration. 2) Develop an easy-to-use app within Unity, to be easily used by a third-party user. 3) Perform the technological validation of some of the VR platform features on healthy subjects and chronic stroke patients 4) Propose a long-term protocol for validating the rehabilitation component of the platform compared to conventional stroke rehabilitation.
Valerio Aurucci, PhD Student at the Neuroengineering laboratory, Email: giuseppevalerio.aurucci@hest.ethz.ch
Valerio Aurucci, PhD Student at the Neuroengineering laboratory, Email: giuseppevalerio.aurucci@hest.ethz.ch