title: Designing informed game-based rehabilitation tasks leveraging advances in virtual reality.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This paper details a brief history and rationale for the use of virtual reality (VR) technology for clinical research and intervention, and then focuses on game-based VR applications in the area of rehabilitation. An analysis of the match between rehabilitation task requirements and the assets available with VR technology is presented.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low-cost camera-based systems capable of tracking user behavior at sufficient levels for game-based virtual rehabilitation activities are currently available for in-home use. Authoring software is now being developed that aims to provide clinicians with a usable toolkit for leveraging this technology. This will facilitate informed professional input on software design, development and application to ensure safe and effective use in the rehabilitation context.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The field of rehabilitation generally stands to benefit from the continual advances in VR technology, concomitant system cost reductions and an expanding clinical research literature and knowledge base. Home-based activity within VR systems that are low-cost, easy to deploy and maintain, and meet the requirements for "good" interactive rehabilitation tasks could radically improve users' access to care, adherence to prescribed training and subsequently enhance functional activity in everyday life in clinical populations.
authors.affiliation: University of Southern California, Institute for Creative Technologies, Los Angeles, California, USA.
authors.forename: Belinda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lange
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Koenig
authors.forename: Chien-Yen
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: McConnell
authors.forename: Evan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Suma
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bolas
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rizzo
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D006801:Humans; D012046:Rehabilitation / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D013813:Therapy, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D014584:User-Computer Interface; D018910:Video Games