Immersive Technologies for Vestibular Rehabilitation

Abstract

Vestibular vertigo accounts for about a quarter of dizziness complaints. Loss of vestibular function is a debilitating condition that causes nausea, spontaneous nystagmus, or disequilibrium, which is known to highly influence day-to-day tasks. Therefore, recovery should start as soon as possible, targeting the affected side of the vestibular apparatus, by performing a set of prescribed exercises. Aside from being a long and tiresome process, patients must perform these exercises, while trying to stimulate optokinetic, angular vestibulo-ocular, and vestibulospinal reflexes. The article presents the development of virtual reality serious games that can be played at home or in a rehabilitation clinic. The main objective is to increase patients' motivation, specifically during telerehabilitation which is essential for a faster recovery process. A preliminary evaluation was carried out to compare the users' experiences using a smartphone-based headset and a standalone commercial head-mounted display, the Oculus Quest.