Harnessing the experience of presence for virtual motor rehabilitation: towards a guideline for the development of virtual reality environments

摘要

The experience of presence has been shown to be important for virtual motor rehabilitation. Despite its importance, current research and therapy systems often make only limited use of it. This article introduces a conceptualization of presence that provides a guideline for the implementation of virtual rehabilitation environments. Three types of visual feedback in virtual rehabilitation systems are linked to three dimensions of presence. In particular it is shown how movement visualization, performance feedback and context information correspond to the presence dimensions: spatial presence, involvement and realness. In addition, practical implications are discussed to support the development of future virtual rehabilitation systems and to allow better use of the experience of presence for virtual motor rehabilitation after stroke.