An application of virtual reality in rehabilitation

Virtual reality (VR) has been applied in developing systems for vehicle simulation, robot control, decision support and analysis, virtual interfaces to complex systems, entertainment, electronic art, medical science, and education. As an off-spin of virtual reality, a number of sensory hardware components have been developed. One of the greatest potentials of VR exists in medicine and surgery. The author discusses some of the sensory devices developed for VR systems, and then suggests an application in evaluating the performance of impaired hand. The proposed system can be used to monitor patient's progress in therapy and to devise better treatment strategies. The author finally concludes with a discussion on some of the challenges and issues facing the existing technology.<>