Exoskeletons With Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, and Gamification for Stroke Patients' Rehabilitation: Systematic Review.
Omar Mubin, Fady Alnajjar, Nalini Jishtu and 2 others
PMID 31586360WHAT IT FOUND
Most studies reported motor gains with exoskeletons plus VR or games, but samples were small and varied, mostly clinic-based.
No single device or game setup is established.
Key findings
01The review included 30 studies of exoskeleton or robotic devices combined with VR, AR, or gamification for stroke rehabilitation.
02Most included studies reported positive motor function results, but the review synthesized them qualitatively because outcomes were heterogeneous.
03Only two studies involved lower limb rehabilitation, and no AR-based systems for stroke rehabilitation were found in the sample.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The review included 30 studies with sample sizes from 1 to 47, and 13 had fewer than 10 participants, so the findings are not precise. Studies used different outcome scales and had different data quality, so results could not be compared accurately or combined numerically. Most studies were in clinics, with only 4 home-based and 1 using both settings, so the review says little about using these systems at home. Only two studies involved lower limb rehabilitation, so conclusions about walking or ankle training are limited. No AR-based systems for stroke rehabilitation were found in the sample, despite AR being part of the review question. Some relevant articles could have been missed because the search criteria were very specific.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as proof that any exoskeleton plus VR or game system works better than usual therapy. The review included small, varied studies without comparable outcomes, and it did not isolate whether the robot, VR, or game caused improvements.