AN IMMERSIVE VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT FOR PHANTOM LIMB PAIN REHABILITATION

Steve Pettifer, Toby Howard, Ben Blundell, David Edwards, Ilan Lieberman

2012

Abstract

Phantom Limb Pain is a debilitating condition that affects a significant percentage of patients after loss of an arm or leg. These patients experience chronic pain and other unpleasant sensations in the missing limb, and the pain resists treatment. Previous research has demonstrated that pain levels can be reduced in some patients when they are immersed in a virtual environment that presents a 3D computer graphics visualisation of their missing limb, the movements of which are controlled by sensors attached to the remaining limb. In this paper we describe a novel approach to the implementation of such a system, using the Kinect game device for limb motion tracking, in conjunction with wireless motion sensors worn by the patient. We present some preliminary, but very encouraging, results based on an informal trial with a patient.

Paper Citation

in Harvard Style

Pettifer S., Howard T., Blundell B., Edwards D. and Lieberman I. (2012). AN IMMERSIVE VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT FOR PHANTOM LIMB PAIN REHABILITATION . In Proceedings of the International Conference on Computer Graphics Theory and Applications and International Conference on Information Visualization Theory and Applications - Volume 1: GRAPP, (VISIGRAPP 2012) ISBN 978-989-8565-02-0, pages 426-433. DOI: 10.5220/0003831704260433

in Bibtex Style

@conference{grapp12,
author={Steve Pettifer and Toby Howard and Ben Blundell and David Edwards and Ilan Lieberman},
title={AN IMMERSIVE VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT FOR PHANTOM LIMB PAIN REHABILITATION},
booktitle={Proceedings of the International Conference on Computer Graphics Theory and Applications and International Conference on Information Visualization Theory and Applications - Volume 1: GRAPP, (VISIGRAPP 2012)},
year={2012},
pages={426-433},
publisher={SciTePress},
organization={INSTICC},
doi={10.5220/0003831704260433},
isbn={978-989-8565-02-0},
}

in EndNote Style

TY - CONF
JO - Proceedings of the International Conference on Computer Graphics Theory and Applications and International Conference on Information Visualization Theory and Applications - Volume 1: GRAPP, (VISIGRAPP 2012)
TI - AN IMMERSIVE VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT FOR PHANTOM LIMB PAIN REHABILITATION
SN - 978-989-8565-02-0
AU - Pettifer S.
AU - Howard T.
AU - Blundell B.
AU - Edwards D.
AU - Lieberman I.
PY - 2012
SP - 426
EP - 433
DO - 10.5220/0003831704260433