Video capture virtual reality (VR) uses a video camera and software to track movement in a single plane without the need to place markers on specific bodily locations. The user's image is thereby embedded within a simulated environment such that it is possible to interact with animated graphics in a completely natural manner. Although this technology first became available more than 25 years ago, it is only within the past five years that it has been applied in rehabilitation. The objective of this article is to describe the way this technology works, to review its assets relative to other VR platforms, and to provide an overview of some of the major studies that have evaluated the use of video capture technologies for rehabilitation.

Background and Purpose— Accelerometers are a unique tool used to objectively measure free-living physical activity, but their reliability for people with stroke has not been established. The primary aim was to assess the day-to-day reliability of these instruments for the paretic and nonparetic hips. The secondary aims were to measure the amount of physical activity with accelerometers that people with stroke undertake in the community and its relationship with walking capacity (6-minute walk test distance). Methods— Forty people with stroke wore one Actical accelerometer on each hip for 3 consecutive days at home and during the 6-minute walk test in the laboratory. The accelerometer measured physical activity using total activity counts per day and energy expenditure (kcal/d). Results— Excellent intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) for the activity counts (paretic hip ICC _[1,3] =0.95, nonparetic hip ICC _[1,3] =0.94) and for the energy expenditure (paretic hip ICC _[1,3] =0.95, nonparetic hip ICC _[1,3] =0.95) were found across the 3 consecutive days at home. Excellent ICCs were also found between the paretic versus the nonparetic hips for the activity counts (ICC _[1,3] =0.98) and for the energy expenditure (ICC _[1,3] =0.96). Free-living physical activity was very low and 58% of the participants did not meet recommended physical activity levels. Only moderate correlations ( r =0.6 to 0.73, P <0.001) were found between the 6-minute walk test distance in the laboratory and 3-day physical activity recording at home. Conclusions— The accelerometer was found to be a reliable objective instrument. The use of accelerometers quantified the low level of free-living physical activity of people with stroke.

Background. Although inpatient rehabilitation may enhance an individual’s functional ability after stroke, it is not known whether these improvements are accompanied by an increase in daily use of the arms and legs. Objectives. To determine the change in daily use of the upper and lower extremities of stroke patients during rehabilitation and to compare these values with that of community-dwelling older adults. Methods. A total of 60 stroke patients underwent functional assessments and also wore 3 accelerometers for 3 consecutive weekdays on admission to rehabilitation and 3 weeks later prior to hospital discharge. The number of steps and upper-extremity activity counts were measured over the waking hours and during daily use for occupational therapy (OT) and physical therapy (PT) sessions. Healthy older adults (n = 40) also wore 3 accelerometers for 5 consecutive days. Results. Stroke patients demonstrated a significant increase in mobility function, and this was accompanied by an increase in daily walking over the entire day as well as in PT. However, increases in daily walking were found predominantly in patients who were wheelchair users (and not walkers) at the time of admission. Control walking values (5202 steps) were more than 17 times that of stroke patients. Despite significant improvements in paretic hand function, no increase in daily use of the paretic or nonparetic hand was found over the entire day or in PT. Conclusions. A disparity between functional recovery and increases in daily use of the upper and lower extremities was found during inpatient stroke rehabilitation.

The objective of this study was to investigate the potential of using a low-cost video-capture virtual reality (VR) platform, the Sony PlayStation II EyeToy, for the rehabilitation of older adults with disabilities. This article presents three studies that were carried out to provide information about the EyeToy's potential for use in rehabilitation. The first study included the testing of healthy young adults (N = 34) and compared their experiences using the EyeToy with those using GestureTek's IREX VR system in terms of a sense of presence, level of enjoyment, control, success, and perceived exertion. The second study aimed to characterize the VR experience of healthy older adults (N = 10) and to determine the suitability and usability of the EyeToy for this population and the third study aimed to determine the feasibility of the EyeToy for use by individuals (N = 12) with stroke at different stages. The implications of these three studies for applying the system to rehabilitation are discussed.

The purpose of this study was to establish ecological validity and initial construct validity of a Virtual Multiple Errands Test (VMET) as an assessment tool for executive functions. It was implemented within the Virtual Mall (VMall), a novel functional video-capture virtual shopping environment. The main objectives were (1) to examine the relationships between the performance of three groups of participants in the Multiple Errands Test (MET) carried out in a real shopping mall and their performance in the VMET, (2) to assess the relationships between the MET and VMET of the post-stroke participant's level of executive functioning and independence in instrumental activities of daily living, and (3) to compare the performance of post-stroke participants to those of healthy young and older controls in both the MET and VMET. The study population included three groups; post-stroke participants (n = 9), healthy young participants (n = 20), and healthy older participants (n = 20). The VMET was able to differentiate between two age groups of healthy participants and between healthy and post-stroke participants thus demonstrating that it is sensitive to brain injury and ageing and supports construct validity between known groups. In addition, significant correlations were found between the MET and the VMET for both the post-stroke participants and older healthy participants. This provides initial support for the ecological validity of the VMET as an assessment tool of executive functions. However, further psychometric data on temporal stability are needed, namely test–retest reliability and responsiveness, before it is ready for clinical application. Further research using the VMET as an assessment tool within the VMall with larger groups and in additional populations is also recommended.