IHealthE is backing the development of Whack-a-Wombat, a VR game designed to enhance stroke rehabilitation by engaging patients in fun, hand-movement exercises to support daily recovery efforts.
IHealthE is supporting the development of a virtual reality (VR) game designed to enhance stroke rehabilitation. Stroke patients typically require a minimum of three hours of rehabilitation each day to achieve the best possible recovery. To help meet this need, a team of clinicians and researchers have developed Whack-a-Wombat, a VR game where patients use hand movements to punch wombats into space.
Originally developed by Prof Juno Kim from the UNSW School of Optometry and Vision Science, Whack-a-Wombat has been adapted to provide a fun and engaging way for stroke patients to participate in their rehabilitation while staying in bed. The project is led by Dr Peter Sturgess, Director of Rehabilitation Medicine at Prince of Wales Hospital. Simo Jurisic, IHealthE’s data visualisation expert worked closely with Peter and Juno to build the VR game and select a VR headset, with ease of use a top priority. The project also includes UNSW undergraduate student, Ahona Dutta, who is working on the next iteration of the game as part of their honours thesis.
A small feasibility study is about to begin, focusing on gathering feedback from patients and families to assess their experience and identify areas for improvement. With a stroke occurring every nine minutes in Australia (Stroke Foundation), this VR solution offers hope in addressing the staffing and resource challenges faced in rehabilitation.
This project highlights some of the VR/AR capabilities at IHealthE, and we invite clinicians and innovators to reach out if you're interested in developing and integrating similar solutions into your clinical workflows.
