Universidade de Vigo

VirtualR3

Virtual Reality in Robotic movements assistance for Rehabilitation

Digital and Efficient Engineering Research Group (EN.EDI)

Digital and Efficiency Engineering (EN.EDI) is a research group of the University of Vigo (UVigo) (Spain). The group’s members have long research experience in mechatronic systems, parallel robotics (Delta, Stewart platform, and CDPR), and industrial software (such as digital twins, simulation, and virtual environments). The group has also an extensive scientific background and remarkable prototyping capabilities, demonstrated throughout previous projects.

Project Objective

VirtualR3 is a Robotic Rehabilitation and Virtual Reality environment where patients will be supported and moved by a CDPR (Cable-Driven Parallel Robot). The patients’ impulses generate the intention of movement, which is then used by the robot to follow and support it. The patient will also experience the movement in different scenes in an immersive way through a vision device (glasses). Medical online supervision will change robot forces, impulses, and virtual scenarios.

Context

Virtual Reality Scene: While the robot supports and follows the patient’s movements, he/she experiences a walk in a park.

Virtual Reality Scene: A parametrized object from the real word is detected, placed, and introduced in the Virtual Reality Scene.

Virtual Reality Scene: Mixed Reality to guide the patient movements, giving him/her movement objectives and track his/her movements.

Project Goals

1.

Exercises can be designed to cover larger areas, providing more extensive mobility assistance and a wide range of movements. The system will implement free 2D and 3D movements.

2.

Haptic control based on the patient’s body forces (impulses) will guide the robot and the virtual environment to provide a more immersive experience.

3.

The patient will experience the movement in different scenes in an immersive way through a vision device (glasses). The environment will be valid to treat any mobility difficulty (from mild to severe).