Active video game head movement inputs
Virtual reality has been extensively studied for applications in rehabilitation. With the development of active video games, these commercial products can also be considered for inclusion in a patients rehabilitation program. In this study, the Sony EyeToy  and PlayStation 2  were used with the AntiGrav game to evaluate the users head movement actions. The game required lateral head, body, and arm movements. Over the course of 9 sessions of game play, average and maximum head excursions remained constant. However, the frequency of head movement increased over the sessions. The results suggest that the video game could be used for postural balance rehabilitation through head movements, and their effect on the vestibular system. Future work will evaluate how such vestibular exercise, and an increase in head movement frequency over training sessions can support postural balance improvements.
video game head movements postural control virtual reality rehabilitation