Virtual Occupational Therapy Assistant (VOTA)

描述(由申请人提供)：虚拟职业治疗助理(VOTA)将使中风患者能够练习日常生活活动(ADL)作为住院患者的一部分， 熟练的护理、门诊、家庭健康和/或远程治疗康复计划。该系统利用低成本的人体运动跟踪、先进的运动学姿势估计算法和最先进的游戏引擎技术来创建一个令人信服的世界，患者可以在其中执行现实的虚拟ADL，挑战运动和认知功能。该系统先进的人体运动跟踪功能支持自动生成性能指标，支持用户反馈和提供商对用户状态的远程监控。Vota还包括一个OT仪表板，允许治疗师跟踪进展、计划活动并与患者互动。有待解决的问题：Vota为上肢(UE)康复提供了一种工具，可能使全球约75万人受益 美国每年都有中风患者。VOTA应对以下关键挑战：(1)通过增加物理实践中的剂量和强度来改善结果，并促进基于物理实践和心理图像的皮质重组；(2)通过减少与患者/治疗师旅行相关的时间和费用来降低成本；以及(3)向偏远和服务不足的地区提供服务。长期目标：通过有效和高效地提供护理来改善中风康复结果。第I期结果：第I期 制作了一个Vota原型应用程序，其中包括一个引人入胜的虚拟世界、两个虚拟ADL活动以及运动和认知指标的自动生成。弗吉尼亚大学南健康康复医院在弗吉尼亚州夏洛茨维尔进行了一项试点研究，涉及10名中风患者。分析证实了第一阶段的主要假设，即VOTA产生的指标与UE运动功能的接受指标显著相关。通过患者访谈和问卷进行的主观调查有力地支持了中风幸存者接受Vota用于临床或家庭健康。第二阶段总结：在拟议的第二阶段SBIR工作中，该团队将开发一种适用于中风干预的Vota应用程序，展示虚拟ADL疗法对UE运动恢复的有效性，并建立患者和提供者对Vota系统的可用性。开发将包括扩大虚拟活动的广度和深度、用于患者监控和规划的提供商工具、活动创作工具、改进的运动跟踪和远程治疗界面。这一努力将在随机对照试验中达到高潮，以标准化评估分数的改善来衡量VOTA的疗效。商业机会：Barron Associates，Inc.在将这项技术迅速商业化方面具有得天独厚的优势。HealthSouth是美国最大的康复医疗服务提供商，它的参与为在临床、家庭健康和远程治疗环境中引入Vota疗法提供了跳板。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Virtual Occupational Therapy Assistant (VOTA) will enable stroke patients to practice activities of daily living (ADLs) as part of an in-patient, skilled nursing, outpatient, home health, and/or teletherapy rehabilitation program. The system leverages low-cost human motion tracking, advanced kinematic pose estimation algorithms, and state-of-the-art game engine technology to create a compelling world in which patients can perform realistic virtual ADLs that challenge both motor and cognitive function. The system's advanced human motion tracking capabilities enable automatic generation of performance metrics, supporting both user feedback and remote monitoring of user status by providers. VOTA also comprises an OT Dashboard that lets therapists track progress, plan activities, and interact with patients. Problem to be addressed: VOTA provides a tool for upper extremity (UE) rehabilitation, potentially benefiting approximately three quarters of a million individuals in the United States who are affected by stroke each year. VOTA addresses critical challenges of: (1) improving outcomes by enabling increased dosage and intensity in physical practice, and promoting cortical reorganization based on physical practice and mental imagery; (2) reducing costs by decreasing the time and expense associated with patient/therapist travel; and (3) providing services to remote and underserved areas. Long-Term Goal: Improve stroke rehabilitation outcomes through effective and efficient delivery of care. Phase I Results: Phase I produced a VOTA prototype application that includes a compelling virtual world, two virtual ADL activities, and automated generation of motor and cognitive metrics. A pilot study was conducted at the University of Virginia-HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital in Charlottesville, VA that involved 10 stroke patients. Analysis confirmed the primary Phase I hypothesis that VOTA-generated metrics correlate significantly with accepted measures of UE motor function. Subjective inquiry through patient interviews and questionnaires strongly supports acceptance of VOTA by stroke survivors for clinical or home health use. Phase II Summary: In the proposed Phase II SBIR effort, the team will develop a VOTA application suitable for use as a stroke intervention, demonstrate the efficacy of virtual ADL therapy for UE motor recovery, and establish the usability of the VOTA system by patients and providers. Development will include an expanded breadth and depth of virtual activities, provider tools for patient monitoring and planning, activity authoring tools, improved motion tracking, and teletherapy interfaces. The effort will culminate in randomized, controlled trials to investigate VOTA efficacy, as measured by improvement in standardized assessment scores. Commercial Opportunity: Barron Associates, Inc. is uniquely positioned to rapidly commercialize this technology. Participation by HealthSouth, the nation's largest provider of rehabilitative healthcare services, provides a springboard for the introduction of VOTA therapy in clinical, home health, and teletherapy settings.