Developing a virtual reality visualisation tool to extend the benefits of mirror therapy to patients with spinal cord injury
Portsmouth, Jan 2013
Visualisation of movement in virtual reality has been demonstrated to have the potential to be used for the treatment of pain and motor dysfunction. However, it is currently limited to use with patients who have an intact and functioning limb at the same level as the impaired or missing limb. This project aims to develop a Virtual Reality tool to support the treatment of phantom pain in spinal cord injured patients. Applying the principles of mirror box therapy, the project will use spiking neural networks to develop a computational model for motion prediction, extending the current capacity of the virtual mirror box to enable simulation of the movement of any impaired limb from any unimpaired limb. The computational models developed in this project will offer a tool which will extend the known benefits of mirror therapy and motor visualisation for use in patient groups previously unable to access this type of treatment.
NOT RECOMMENDED by the Scientific Committee 12 Jun 2012. Applicant was invited to resubmit at the next round and demonstrate a `…positive benefit to the SCI.’