The potential of virtual reality and gaming to assist successful aging with disability.
Using the advances in computing power, software and hardware technologies, virtual reality (VR), and gaming applications have the potential to address clinical challenges for a range of disabilities. VR-based games can potentially provide the ability to assess and augment cognitive and motor rehabilitation under a range of stimulus conditions that are not easily controllable and quantifiable in the real world. This article discusses an approach for maximizing function and participation for those aging with and into a disability by combining task-specific training with advances in VR and gaming technologies to enable positive behavioral modifications for independence in the home and community. There is potential for the use of VR and game applications for rehabilitating, maintaining, and enhancing those processes that are affected by aging with and into disability, particularly the need to attain a balance in the interplay between sensorimotor function and cognitive demands and to reap the benefits of task-specific training and regular physical activity and exercise.
Lange
B S
BS
VRPSYCH Laboratory, Institute for Creative Technologies, University of Southern California, 13274 Fiji Way, Marina Del Rey, CA 90292, USA.
Requejo
P
P
Flynn
S M
SM
Rizzo
A A
AA
Valero-Cuevas
F J
FJ
Baker
L
L
Winstein
C
C
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities / Q000639:trends; D011788:Quality of Life; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012678:Sensation Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014584:User-Computer Interface; D018910:Video Games