Using Virtual World Activities for Amputee Rehabilitation

We report on a novel method for engaging an amputee in rehabilitation activities delivered through an advanced telehealth mechanism using virtual worlds. Patients use two instrumented gloves moving their upper extremities in gestures that mimic a rock climbing activity. These actions cause their avatar in the virtual world to climb a virtual rock-climbing wall. Other activities using low cost sensors can be implemented within the virtual world to support therapeutic needs, and data collected form these sensors can populate a data base the therapist can access to assess patient progress.