Virtual Reality for Power Wheelchair Training

University of Pittsburgh

Status: Completed

Conditions: Spinal Diseases

Treatments: Other: VRSim 3.0; Behavioral: In-Person Wheelchair Training

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03562455

PRO18010297

Details and patient eligibility

About

The objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of VRSim 3.0 on power wheelchair (PWC) driving skills and to obtain qualitative feedback from users on the design of the virtual reality (VR) simulator to inform device development.

Full description

A virtual reality platform may lead to better training of people with complex disabilities who desire to be power wheelchair users and thus allow them to benefit from living a more active life. A virtual reality training program could significantly impact the lives of people with disabilities by improving function, reducing abandonment of power wheelchairs, and reducing morbidity and mortality and associated costs occurring from power wheelchair accidents. This new virtual reality training program will reflect improvements in accessibility, customization, simulator sickness, ease of use, and will have report generating capabilities as compared to previous virtual reality training platforms. The investigators expect that virtual reality training will be a superior alternative to standard in-person wheelchair training.

Enrollment: 12 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 14+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Volunteers must be 14 years or older.
• Volunteers must have a disability that prevents them from effectively and independently using a manual wheelchair, power assist wheelchair, or scooter.
• Volunteers must be able to communicate in English, follow simple commands, and give written informed consent.

Exclusion criteria

• Volunteers with active seizures.
• Volunteers who have active pelvic or thigh wounds.
• Volunteers who require a test wheelchair but who exceed the weight capacity of the test wheelchair (>300 lbs).
• Volunteers who require a test wheelchair but also require specialized seating that cannot be replicated for the training.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Other

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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12 participants in 2 patient groups

Virtual Reality Training

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will receive virtual reality power wheelchair training using VRSim 3.0 in this group.

Treatment:

Other: VRSim 3.0

In-person Therapist Training

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants will receive in-person wheelchair training by a therapist in this group.

Treatment:

Behavioral: In-Person Wheelchair Training