VR Physical Rehabilitation

Virtual reality has emerged as a promising tool in physical rehabilitation, offering new avenues for enhancing traditional therapy methods. One key advancement in this domain is the development of haptic gloves such as TouchDIVER, which bring a sense of touch to VR experiences. By delivering force feedback, textures rendering, and even thermal cues, haptic gloves have revolutionized the immersive potential of VR physical rehabilitation, opening up a wide range of possibilities for patient engagement and therapeutic outcomes.

Enhancing motor skill training

VR physical rehabilitation allows individuals with neurological or musculoskeletal impairments to engage in simulated environments to improve motor skills and coordination. TouchDIVER haptic glove empowers users to feel resistance and adjust their movements accordingly, facilitating more effective motor skill training. By providing real-time haptic feedback, this glove creates an interactive and engaging experience that promotes muscle memory and enhances rehabilitation.

Advancements in haptic technology

Haptic gloves like TouchDIVER have played a significant role in advancing the field of VR physical rehabilitation. These gloves bridge the gap between the virtual and physical worlds by integrating force feedback, texture rendering, and thermal cues. The force feedback capability allows users to feel resistance, facilitating motor skill development. Textures rendering provides a sense of touch, allowing users to interact with virtual objects and perceive their properties. Moreover, simulating thermal cues enables users to experience sensations like heat and cold, which can be essential in specific rehabilitation scenarios.

Immersive balance and gait training in VR

VR simulations, enhanced by haptic gloves like TouchDIVER, play a crucial role in both balance and gait training as well as cognitive rehabilitation. These dynamic environments challenge and improve physical skills by providing force feedback and realistic textures. In the context of cognitive rehabilitation, VR offers tailored exercises targeting specific cognitive functions, with haptic feedback stimulating tactile sensations for an immersive experience. Overall, these technologies contribute to controlled and engaging rehabilitation, promoting improvements in both physical movements and cognitive abilities.

Pain distraction and therapeutic engagement

Pain management is a critical aspect of physical rehabilitation, and VR has demonstrated its effectiveness as a pain distraction tool. By immersing patients in captivating virtual environments, VR can divert their attention from pain sensations, making the therapy process more tolerable. Haptic gloves enhance this experience by providing tactile feedback and a sense of presence, creating a stronger connection between the user and the virtual world.

A tactile dimension for VR medical procedures

Our TouchDIVER haptic glove introduces a tactile component to surgical simulations, replacing HMD’s controller.

It stands out by combining force, textures, and thermal feedback for a seamless, immersive tactile experience. The glove includes an SDK for integration with major development platforms like Unity and Unreal Engine, and it is compatible with various controllers, such as Meta (Oculus Quest), Pico, HTC Vive, Windows Mixed Reality, and more ensuring unified tracking across platforms.