Medical Graphics
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VIG@Chester

Journal Paper in IEEE TVCG

28 Apr 2017

Our publication The Implementation & Validation of a Virtual Environment for Training Powered Wheelchair Manoeuvres was accepted in a forthcoming issue of IEEE Transactions in Visualization and Computer Graphics (TVCG). The work is a collaboration between researchers from the University of Chester and Lincoln University, along with the Liverpool Wheelchair Service, the Wirral Community NHS Trust Wheelchair Service, the Cardiff and Vale UHB Posture Mobility Centre, and Betsi Cadwaladr UHB Posture and Mobility Service.

The Wheelchair-VR system in use
Figure 1: The Wheelchair-VR system in use [JPG]

Abstract

Navigating a powered wheelchair and avoiding collisions is often a daunting task for new wheelchair users. It takes time and practice to gain the coordination needed to become a competent driver and this can be even more of a challenge for someone with a disability. We present a cost-effective virtual reality (VR) application that takes advantage of consumer level VR hardware. The system can be easily deployed in an assessment centre or for home use, and does not depend on a specialized high-end virtual environment such as a Powerwall or CAVE. This paper reviews previous work that has used virtual environments technology for training tasks, particularly wheelchair simulation. We then describe the implementation of our own system and the first validation study carried out using thirty three able bodied volunteers. The study results indicate that at a significance level of 5% then there is an improvement in driving skills from the use of our VR system. We thus have the potential to develop the competency of a wheelchair user whilst avoiding the risks inherent to training in the real world. However, the occurrence of cybersickness is a particular problem in this application that will need to be addressed.

Reference

  1. John, N. W., Pop, S. R., Day, T. W., Ritsos, P. D., & Headleand, C. J. (2018). The Implementation and Validation of a Virtual Environment for Training Powered Wheelchair Manoeuvres. IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics, 24(5), 1867–1878. [bib]