A Taxonomy for Augmented and Mixed Reality Applications to Support Physical Exercises in Medical Rehabilitation—A Literature Review

The evolution of augmented reality to augment physical therapy: A scoping review

Augmented reality is increasingly used in health care, yet little is known about how AR is being used in physical therapy practice and what clinical outcomes could occur with technology use. In this scoping review, a broad literature review was conducted to gain an understanding of current knowledge of AR use and outcomes in physical therapy practice. A structured literature search of articles published between 2000 to September 2023 that examined the use of AR in a physical therapy context was conducted. Reference lists of articles for full review were searched for additional studies. Data from articles meeting inclusion criteria were extracted and synthesized across studies. 549 articles were identified; 40 articles met criteria for full review. Gait and balance of neurological and older adult populations were most frequently targeted, with more recent studies including orthopedic and other populations. Approximately half were pilot or observational studies and half are experimental. Many studies found within group improvements. Of studies reporting between group differences, AR interventions were more effective in improving function almost half of the time, with 20%, 27% and 28% showing efficacy in disability, balance, and gait outcomes. AR in physical therapy holds promise; however, efficacy outcomes are unclear.

Challenges and promises of mixed-reality interventions in acquired brain injury rehabilitation: A scoping review

BACKGROUND

Acquired brain injury (ABI) can lead to significant impairments and difficulties in everyday life, necessitating the need for rehabilitation. Mixed-reality (MR) technologies have revolutionized the delivery of neurorehabilitation therapies. However, inconsistencies in research methodology, diverse study populations and designs, and exaggerated claims in the research, media, and private consumer sectors have impacted the knowledge base of the field, including within the context of ABI rehabilitation.

OBJECTIVE

This scoping review aims to explore MR-systems in ABI rehabilitation, while assessing the evidence base and technology readiness levels of these systems.

METHODS

Seven databases were searched for studies, which were screened and analyzed by two independent raters. The types of MR systems, levels of evidence, and technology readiness levels were extracted and analyzed using descriptive analyses.

RESULTS

Twenty-six studies were included in the review, all of which focused on ABI etiologies stemming from strokes. Across studies, upper-limb motor rehabilitation was the most common rehabilitation target of MR interventions, followed by gait, cognition, and lower-extremity functioning. At present, overall results indicate low evidence for MR-applications in ABI rehabilitation, with a median technology readiness level of 6, corresponding to system prototypes being tested in relevant environments.

CONCLUSION

Although challenges regarding system usability and design were reported, results appear promising with ongoing research. With variability across studies, technologies, and populations, determining the effectiveness of MR interventions in ABI remains a challenge, necessitating the need for ongoing innovation, research, and development of these systems.

What is Significant in Modern Augmented Reality: A Systematic Analysis of Existing Reviews

Augmented reality (AR) is a field of technology that has evolved drastically during the last decades, due to its vast range of applications in everyday life. The aim of this paper is to provide researchers with an overview of what has been surveyed since 2010 in terms of AR application areas as well as in terms of its technical aspects, and to discuss the extent to which both application areas and technical aspects have been covered, as well as to examine whether one can extract useful evidence of what aspects have not been covered adequately and whether it is possible to define common taxonomy criteria for performing AR reviews in the future. To this end, a search with inclusion and exclusion criteria has been performed in the Scopus database, producing a representative set of 47 reviews, covering the years from 2010 onwards. A proper taxonomy of the results is introduced, and the findings reveal, among others, the lack of AR application reviews covering all suggested criteria.