Virtual Occupational Therapy Assistant (VOTA)

描述（由申请人提供）：虚拟职业治疗助理（VOTA）利用人类运动跟踪，多用户虚拟环境和互联网协议语音（VoIP）技术的进步，为每年在美国受中风影响的大约25万人提供具有成本效益的临床康复和远程治疗选择。该系统由基于web浏览器的软件和桌面USB电脑外设组成，将使患者能够练习日常生活活动（ADLs），作为住院病人、熟练护理、门诊或家庭健康治疗计划的一部分。该应用程序的核心是一个高保真计算机生成的环境，在这个环境中，患者的真实上肢（UE）姿势由他们的虚拟角色反映出来。在治疗师监督和独立的实践中，桌面运动跟踪系统将允许在个人卫生、穿衣、饮食、准备饭菜、购物、洗衣、清洁、电话使用、药物管理、消防安全和危险情况意识等场景中进行现实的互动。在家庭健康使用中，该系统将允许治疗师与远程患者一起工作，促进护理的连续性并节省与旅行相关的时间和成本。需要解决的问题：通过实现虚拟adl的家庭实践和治疗师与患者之间的远程交互，VOTA解决了以下关键挑战：(1)通过消除与患者/治疗师旅行相关的时间和费用来降低成本；(2)增加对偏远和服务不足地区的访问；(3)通过身体练习和心理意象增强皮层重组。长期目标：通过有效和高效的护理来改善中风康复的结果。第一阶段总结：Barron Associates与弗吉尼亚大学（UVA）医学院、UVA- health - south Rehabilitation Hospital和Designing digital， Inc.合作，将开发和测试基于生态有效环境和“OT岛”活动的原型桌面UE运动跟踪USB计算机外围设备和基于web的虚拟世界应用软件。设计工作将侧重于系统可用性以及提供者和患者的体验。在工作的后半段，UVA-HealthSouth的治疗师将进行一项试点研究，以评估vota衍生的性能分数与临床接受的ADL功能测量以及系统可用性/患者使用可能性的相关性。这些努力将为后续VOTA商业产品的II期设计和临床和家庭健康环境中VOTA治疗有效性的人体参与者试验提供坚实的知识基础。商业机会：美国最大的康复医疗保健服务提供商HealthSouth的参与，为引入基于订阅的基于web的VOTA软件访问和销售桌面UE运动跟踪计算机外围设备提供了一个跳板。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Virtual Occupational Therapy Assistant (VOTA) leverages advances in human motion tracking, multi-user virtual environments, and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology to provide cost effective clinical rehabilitation and teletherapy options for the approximately three quarters of a million individuals in the United States affected by stroke each year. The system, consisting of web browser-based software and a desktop USB computer peripheral, will enable patients to practice activities of daily living (ADLs) as part of an in-patient, skilled nursing, outpatient, or home health treatment program. At the core of the proposed application is a high-fidelity computer-generated environment in which a patient's real-world upper extremity (UE) pose is mirrored by their virtual character. In both therapist-supervised and independent practice, a desktop motion tracking system will permit realistic interactions in scenarios spanning personal hygiene, dressing, eating, meal preparation, shopping, laundry, cleaning, telephone use, medication management, fire safety, and dangerous situation awareness. In home health usage, the system will permit the therapist to work with a remotely located patient, promoting continuity of care and saving travel-associated time and cost. Problem to be addressed: By enabling at-home practice of virtual ADLs and remote interaction between therapist and patient, VOTA addresses critical challenges of (1) reducing cost through elimination of the time and expense associated with patient/therapist travel; (2) increasing access to remote and underserved areas; (3) enhancing cortical reorganization through physical practice and mental imagery. Long-Term Goal: Improve stroke rehabilitation outcomes through effective and efficient delivery of care. Phase I Summary: Barron Associates, in partnership with the University of Virginia (UVA) School of Medicine, UVA-HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital, and Designing Digitally, Inc., will develop and test a prototype desktop UE motion tracking USB computer peripheral and web-based virtual worlds application software based on ecologically valid environments and activities on an "OT Island." Design efforts will focus on system usability and the experience of providers and patients. In the latter half of the effort, UVA-HealthSouth therapists will conduct a pilot study to assess the correlation of VOTA-derived performance scores to clinically accepted measures of ADL functionality as well as system usability/likelihood of use by patients. These efforts will providea solid basis of knowledge for subsequent Phase II design of the VOTA commercial product and human participant trials of the effectiveness of VOTA therapy in both clinical and home health settings. Commercial Opportunity: Participation by HealthSouth, the nation's largest provider of rehabilitative healthcare services, provides a springboard for the introduction of subscription-based access to web-based VOTA software and sale of the desktop UE motion tracking computer peripheral. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The Virtual Occupational Therapy Assistant (VOTA) is a virtual reality-based telerehabilitation system enabling functional practice of activities of daily living through a conventional web browser and a desktop motion tracking USB computer peripheral. Proposed development addresses important public health concerns by (1) enabling remote interaction between patient and therapist during online functional training; (2) reducing cost through elimination of the time and expense associated with patient/therapist travel; (3) increasing access to remote and underserved areas; (4) enhancing cortical reorganization through physical practice and mental imagery; and (5) providing reliable tracking mechanisms for patient activity and functional status.