The objective of this study was to assess the accuracy of virtual reality (VR) technology in replicating real-life environments for the adoption of appropriate human postures and forces. Despite the widespread implementation of VR in various applications, there is a lack of research evaluating the accuracy of human postures and sensory aspects in the VR environment compared to real-life scenarios. A total of twenty-two student participants were recruited for this study, which involved a common lifting task. Two specific poses were identified as having potentially excessive forces exerted on the lower back. By comparing the angles of seven anatomical joints in both the real environment and the VR environment at each pose, we observed that depth perception may influence posture adoption in the VR setting. Moreover, the presence of a physical load applied to both hands significantly influenced the postures adopted by participants compared to those in the VR environment. These deviations in postures directly led to significant differences in predicted spinal forces exerted on the lower back, which in turn could result in inaccurate assessments of injury risks and the design of injury prevention programs. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the accuracy of VR technology as a substitute for real-life environments.

This study has successfully created a virtual reality training environment for wheelchair users aimed to serve children with severe cerebral palsy and cognitive impairments. The proposed system integrates motion tracking with virtual reality technologies in real time for rehabilitation purposes. The system aims at improving the trainee motor functions allowing the caregivers to directly interact with the child using visual cues. The live motion trajectory recorded from caregivers could provide a strong interaction with patients to enhance their engagement, comfort, and enjoyment of training. The proposed system can potentially help improve the lives of dozens of children who suffer from the effects of cerebral palsy in a safe, cost-effective, and entertaining environment.

Ankle Foot Orthoses (AFOs) are devices engineered to assist a person with a motor impairment. This study sought to create an optimized approach to ankle-foot orthoses design that would provide the best medical functionality, comfort, and ease of use while also being affordable. To the authors’ knowledge, there are no similar approaches in the industry. The protocol begins by