Subject Recruitment

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SUBJECT RECRUITMENT:

 

The Use of a Virtual Reality System to Enhance Upper Extremity Prosthetic Training & RehabilitationResearchers from the University of South Florida are recruiting healthy adult unilateral or bilateral upper limb (transradial or transhumeral) amputee volunteers to participate in a research study investigating upper limb prosthetic training and rehabilitation using a virtual reality system. The purpose of this study is to compare user’s performance with and without the use of virtual reality to develop an effective prosthetic training and rehabilitation program to improve the amputee’s ability to integrate back into their daily routine. This regime will develop a way for users to visualize the best, most optimal movement to complete a task, while viewing their real time motion for comparison for superb results. This system will also be used for prescription to determine the most valid prosthetic design and training program for an individual.

This study will be conducted on the Computer Assisted Rehabilitation Environment (CAREN) system, which is a multimodal virtual reality system consisting of a 10 camera real time motion capture system so the environment can respond to the user’s motion, a 6 degree of freedom movable base, with an instrumented split-belt treadmill, and a 180 degree cylindrical screen projection system to allow for a virtual reality immersive environment. The CAREN system is designed for rehabilitation and training and has safety incorporated in many ways. The purpose of this study is to develop a more advanced and effective training and rehabilitation routine for upper limb prosthetic users. This training and rehabilitation regime will be designed to become adaptable for clinicians and at home therapy through an affordable virtual reality system. The study will consist of one session lasting approximately 2 hours and will take place at the Center for Assistive Rehabilitation and Robotics Technology Lab located in Tampa, Florida. Participants will be compensated for time involved in study.

If interested in becoming involved or for any further information please contact Ashley Knight at [email protected] or at 607-743-8555. Thank you!

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