"As we learned about the different areas we came to gait therapy and were immediately impressed by the Lokomat machine, a huge exoskeleton with a harness on which the children climbed to correct their walking. We talked to some parents and therapists and immediately saw that this rehabilitation could be a very good candidate for improvement through Virtual Reality and other techniques."
ZAPOPAN, Jalisco; October 26, 2023. Universidad Panamericana Guadalajara Campus is proud to celebrate the successful thesis defense of Dr. Jafet Rodriguez, a distinguished member of the institution's faculty. Dr. Rodriguez's research, entitled "Improving Efficiency in Robot Assisted Rehabilitation Sessions through Virtual Reality and Affective Computing," promises to revolutionize the way people with gait problems are rehabilitated.
An Innovative Approach to Robot-Assisted Rehabilitation
The project addresses a crucial problem in robot-assisted rehabilitation: session efficiency. Currently, patients must exert physical effort to generate muscle memory, which is achieved only 28% of the time. This low efficiency rate increases the number of sessions required, which generally last 30 to 45 minutes. As a result, patients experience an additional burden in their recovery process.
Virtual Reality and Affective Computing in Action
Dr. Rodriguez's innovative approach combines cutting-edge technology, including an electroencephalogram helmet to measure brain waves and a Virtual Reality helmet that transports patients to the moon, where they perform a moonwalk to collect batteries, incorporating elements of gamification. The system uses affective states (such as engagement, boredom, excitement, meditation and frustration) to modify the user experience. When a decrease in the level of engagement or arousal is detected, the system automatically adjusts the environment, such as increasing the volume of background music or brightening the stage more, to keep patients engaged. The result is a dynamic feedback system based on affective states that improves the efficiency of rehabilitation sessions, raising it to 54%.
Inspiration at Centro de Rehabilitación Infantil Teletón (CRIT)
Dr. Rodriguez's project has its roots in a visit to the Teleton Children's Rehabilitation Center (CRIT) in June 2015, where he was inspired by witnessing the use of the Lokomat machine, an exoskeleton designed to correct the gait of children with disabilities. Since then, his work focused on improving robot-assisted gait therapy through Virtual Reality and other techniques.
The research was not without challenges, especially during the pandemic, which forced a halt to research protocols at CRIT and required meticulous attention to ensure the safety of the nonverbal patients who participated in the study.
Positive Impact on the Community
Dr. Rodriguez's thesis represents a significant advance in the field of robot-assisted rehabilitation and demonstrates how technology and affective computing can improve the quality of life of people with gait problems.
"It is a methodology that includes the design and tests to design augmented therapies through affective computing and virtual reality. Initially we hope that with this tool more children can be rehabilitated per year."
Dr. Rodriguez faced the challenge of completing his thesis while balancing his academic, family and professional responsibilities. His dedication and focus on the present were instrumental in overcoming the difficulties.
The Universidad Panamericana Guadalajara Campus is proud to have faculty such as Dr. Jafet Rodriguez, whose commitment to academic excellence and contribution to society serves as an inspiration to students and colleagues alike. The university looks forward to continuing to support and promote the research and development of the system proposed by Dr. Rodriguez and looks forward to its positive impact on the community.
