USC engineers team with
researchers and VR game designers to help Parkinson’s patients walk steadily
with confidence. Symptoms such as stiffness, uncontrollable shaking, gait and
balance problems are the first warning signs. According to the Parkinson’s
Outcomes Project, the largest-ever clinical study of Parkinson’s done by the
Parkinson’s Foundation, 71 percent of people living with Parkinson’s for at
least 10 years, are susceptible to falls. The serious injuries caused by falls,
particularly in older patients, can lead to disability, social isolation, and
even nursing home placement.
Patients roam a virtual modern
city, complete with roads, pavements, buildings, and cars, and with an option
of day/night mode, as they walk on a treadmill. They gain points by avoiding
obstacles such as chairs, paper, plastic cups, etc. that are randomly generated
on the sidewalk. However, a problem arises: the VR environment lacks the
dimension of touch, which makes it not only unnatural, but also disconcerting
when they walk into an object. Viterbi students have made the VR experience
more immersive by introducing a haptic feedback component in addition to audio
feedback.
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