title: Validity of a virtual environment for stroke rehabilitation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Virtual environments for use in stroke rehabilitation are in development, but there has been little evaluation of their suitability for this purpose. We evaluated a virtual environment developed for the rehabilitation of the task of making a hot drink.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty stroke patients undergoing rehabilitation in a UK hospital stroke unit were involved. The performance of stroke rehabilitation patients when making a hot drink had the neurological impairments associated with performance of this task, and the errors observed were compared for standardized task performance in the real world and in a virtual environment. Neurological impairments were measured using standardized assessments. Errors in task performance were assessed rating video recordings and classified into error types.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Real-world and virtual environment performance scores were not strongly associated (rho=0.30; P<0.05). Performance scores in both settings were associated with age, Barthel ADL score, Mini Mental State Examination score, and tests of visuospatial function. Real-world performance only was associated with arm function and sequencing ability. Virtual environment performance only was associated with language function and praxis. Participants made different errors during task performance in the real world and in the virtual environment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although this virtual environment was usable by stroke rehabilitation patients, it posed a different rehabilitation challenge from the task it was intended to simulate, and so it might not be as effective as intended as a rehabilitation tool. Other virtual environments for stroke rehabilitation in development require similar evaluation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rehabilitation and Ageing, University of Nottingham, UK. judi.edmans@nottingham.ac.uk
authors.forename: Judi A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Edmans
authors.forename: John R F
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Gladman
authors.forename: Sue
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cobb
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sunderland
authors.forename: Tony
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pridmore
authors.forename: Dave
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hilton
authors.forename: Marion F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Walker
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D003198:Computer Simulation / Q000592:standards*; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D020521:Stroke / Q000503:physiopathology; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation