Development of a rehabilitation system for the elderly that integrates 3D virtual reality and tactile technology

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K18426
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 90150:Medical assistive technology-related
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: Sato Keizo 東北大学, 医工学研究科, 特任講師 (90513614)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: ３DVR / ハプティックイリュージョン / リハビリテーション / ゲーミフィケーション

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Basic data for the development of new haptic rehabilitation content using 3D virtual reality (3DVR) with vision and vibrations given to fingertips was studied. The haptic illusion phenomenon, in which vibration is given to cause a pseudo-motor sensation, was compared between the elderly and young adults. The results showed that the elderly had a significantly lower rate of correct responses at vibration frequencies of 40 Hz, 80 Hz, and 160 Hz, and no difference at 120 Hz, compared to the younger subjects. In addition, the comparison in terms of vibration intensity showed no consistent characteristics from low to high intensity, and overall, the elderly had a lower percentage of correct answers. There was no difference in the percentage of unknowns who answered that they did not know the direction of motion at all. In the comparison by axial direction, the elderly showed significantly lower differences in the percentage of correct answers in the right and downward directions.

Free Research Field

リハビリテーション

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

3DVRを用いたリハビリテーションは近年、新たな訓練手法として様々な取り組みがなされている。特に高齢者に対する3D VR曝露に関する基礎的研究は運動、認知機能など様々な影響を与えると推測され研究が盛んに行われている。本研究は高齢者へ視覚情報のみの3D VRだけではなく、触覚を複合させた新たな若年者の反応と比較する事で、3D VRの高齢者リハビリテーション利用に際する、身体的、精神的相違を明らかにする事を目的として行われ、運動感覚を疑似的に体感できるハプティックイリュージョンにおいて、感覚や正確性などに差があることを報告した。これは、今後、３DVRコンテンツを製作する上での重要な意義となる。