Acceptance and Usability of Different Virtual Reality-Based Technologies Supporting Physical Rehabilitation of the Upper Limb: Results of Experiments with Patients After Upper Limb Injury at Work

Objective: The human-computer interface is pivotal in advancing products like virtual reality (VR) games tailored for upper limb rehabilitation. Materials and Methods: A comparative study was conducted with 60 male participants, all young construction workers aged 20 to 30, who were selected from two rehabilitation centers, specifically targeting individuals with comparable upper limb dysfunctions resultant from occupational injuries, as assessed by qualified physiotherapists. The study evaluated various image presentation methodologies, two types of head-mounted displays (HMDs), tethered to a PC and a stand-alone, and a TV. Participants engaged in a series of five distinct rehabilitation games, executing a standardized sequence of movements over a 30-minute duration. Results: Findings revealed a significant correlation between the chosen interface and factors such as technology acceptance, usability, user experience, spatial presence, and perceived stress during the training sessions. To compare display methods Mann-Whitney U tests were performed. The HMD configurations generally outperformed the TV option. The stand-alone HMD particularly demonstrated superior outcomes in comparison to both, TV and HMD tethered to PC, with increases observed in intent to use (52% and 16%), overall performance (41% and 15%), and perceived usefulness (20% and 16%). The usability assessment conducted by physiotherapists yielded an average score of 74.5, indicating a consensus on the practicality and effectiveness of the system. Conclusion: The high usability of HMD aligns with previous studies. New findings concern an in-depth comparative analysis of interfaces across multiple dimensions. Future research should explore the evaluation of interfaces after long-term use and factors influencing therapy effectiveness and upper limb functionality.