Virtual reality (VR) based Paediatric Interactive Therapy System (PITS) for enhancement of motor learning in children with central motor impairment

Current Research Project

Title / Titel: Virtual reality (VR) based Paediatric Interactive Therapy System (PITS) for enhancement of motor learning in children with central motor impairment

Summary / Zusammenfassung: The therapeutic effort to induce neuronal plasticity and subsequently cortical reorganisation is known to be dosage related. Active participation and motivation play a crucial role in neurorehabilitiation - especially in children.
The technology of virtual reality offers a new perspective of a task-specific and motivational tool, which may enhance the improvement of upper extremity function.
The aim of this project is to develop a child-friendly VR-based therapy system (PITS), to test its feasibility and effectivity in children with central motor impairment due to stroke, traumatic brain injuries or cerebral palsy.
It is a further aim to investigates if PITS can used as a telerehabiliation and "group therapy" system. This would allow to increase the intesivity/frequency of therapy by bundling resources maintaining the costs.
longerterm project is to combine upper and lower extremity (eg. robotic gait trainer) rehabilitation as well cognitive and spatial rehabiliation to a "hole body rehabilitation" system.

Publications / Publikationen: - Wille D, Eng K, Holper L, Chevrier E, Kiper D, Meyer-Heim A. Virtual reality (vr) based paediatric interactive therapy system (PITS) for enhancement of motor learning in children with central motor impairment – a feasibility trial. Accepted for publication. Developmental Neurorehabilitation.
- Pyk P, Wille D, Chevrier E, Hauser Y, Holper L, Fatton I, Greipl R, Schlegel S, Ottiger L, Rückreim B, Pescatore A, Meyer-Heim A, Kiper D and Eng K. A Paediatric Interactive Therapy System for Arm and Hand Rehabilitation. Virtual Rehabilitation 2008, Vancouver, Canada.
- Holper L, Chevrier E, Hauser Y, Wille D, Fatton I, Greipl R, Pyk P, Eng K, Meyer-Heim A, Kiper DC. PITS: Paediatric Interactive Therapy System. ZNZ Symposium 2007, P112.

Keywords / Suchbegriffe: child, rehabilitation, task specific training, virtual reality,

Project Leadership and Contacts / Projektleitung und Kontakte

Dr. med. Andreas Meyer-Heim (Project Leader)	Andreas.Meyer-Heim@kispi.uzh.ch
Dr. Kynan Eng, dipl. ing. (Project Leader)	kynan@ini.phys.eth.ch
lic. phil. Karin Wick (Project Leader)	Karin.Wick@kispi.uzh.ch

Funding Source(s) / Unterstützt durch: Other Public Sources (e.g. Federal or Cantonal Agencies), Foundation, Others

In Collaboration with / In Zusammenarbeit mit

Kynan Eng Dr. diipl. ing. Institut for Neuroinformatics, Uni/ETH Zürich	Switzerland
Prof. Ulrich Götz, University of Arts Zurich, Interactive Game design.	Switzerland