All the studies on this page have concluded. If you are interested in participating in one of our studies, please look at our page of active studies.
Using Immersive Virtual Reality in Bimanual Upper Limb Reaching for Teens and Young Adults
About
As a continuation of FEATHERS’ search for engaging gaming tools for upper limb exercise, the research team would like to test the use of the Oculus Rift head-mounted display and Oculus Touch motion controllers as viable interfaces. The study will explore how error augmentation (i.e. adding visual or game element feedback to accentuate deviation from the desired exercise motion) in immersive VR might encourage persons with hemiplegia to engage their affected side more effectively by comparing the symmetry between the stronger and weaker limbs. The data collected from healthy participants will be used to study motor adaptation effects to this kind of feedback during reaching motions will be used as a control group to compare the target hemiplegic population (children with CP, ABI, Pediatric Stroke).
Eligibility
To take part in this study as a health teen or young adult, you need to:
- Be between the ages of 13 to 21 years old
- Be able to speak and understand English
- Use both eyes and visually interact using a stereoscopic device that allows a minimum interpupillary distance of 58mm
- Comfortably support a 470g head-mounted display
- Have no pre-existing experiences of cybersickness symptoms
What is Involved
A 60-90-minute session using the Oculus Rift system at the CARIS Lab on UBC Vancouver campus (located in ICICS building, room X015):
- Complete a bimanual repetitive reaching task in an immersive VR environment by interacting with virtual objects using the controller buttons and motion tracking
- Complete a short demographics and system usability survey
Interested?
If you would like to take part in this study, please contact us!
604.822.3147 (Ask for Leia)
lcshum@mail.ubc.ca
NEXT STEPS
We are also looking for teens and young adults affected with hemiplegia due to non-degenerative neuro-motor disabilities such as Cerebral Palsy, Acquired Brain Injury, and Pediatric Stroke in the chronic phase. Please contact Leia using the above information to speak individually with someone if you are interested in volunteering as a clinical participant.
SleepSmart: Classification of Movement Patterns Using a Mattress-based Sensor Array
CARIS-RREACH and the Sleep/Wake-Behavior Research labs are evaluating non-invasive technologies (video and SleepSmart mattress sensors) in detecting sleep/wake-behaviors and movement patterns. Our aim in this study is to determine the effectiveness of the system in characterizing movement patterns. With your help, data collected from this study could be used to contribute to the development of better devices that will assist in pediatric sleep diagnostics.
STUDY DETAILS:
- Looking for: Healthy adolescents and young adults (14+).
- What is involved: Complete a series of common resting movements with the SleepSmart & videography system. The study will be video recorded for analysis purposes.
- Study location: ICICS X015, 2366 Main Mall, UBC Point Grey Campus
- Study duration: 1-1.5 hours
For more information or to volunteer as a participant, please contact:
Yi Jui (Alex) Lee
yijuilee@mail.ubc.ca
Stroke Rehabilitation Research Study (People that had a stroke)
The Collaborative Advanced Robotics and Intelligent Systems (CARIS) Laboratory and the Robotics for Rehabilitation Exercise and Assessment in Collaborative Health Care (RREACH) Laboratory are conducting this study, which aims to improve the way home-based physical therapy is delivered.
We are conducting a study on human reaching movements while holding two robotic devices in your hands.
We are seeking volunteers who are recovering from a stroke and who meet the following criteria:
- Weakness on one side of the body as a result of a stroke.
- Able to sit on a chair without arm rests, for 1 hour.
- Ability to understand/follow directions and answer questions in English.
Participants will be asked to come to the UBC Point Grey Campus and perform a series of reaching exercises while holding two robotic devices in their hands (if you are not able to grasp them, we will provide you with an adjustable strap that will hold the robotic devices in place).
The study will take approximately 2.0-2.5 hours. Volunteers will be required to complete a consent form before participating. All transportation expenses will be covered, and participants will be compensated financially for their time.
For more information, or to volunteer for this study, please contact:
Bulmaro Valdés
bulmaro.valdes@alumni.ubc.ca | 778-628-7056
Principal Investigator: Dr. Mike Van der Loos | Professor Department of Mechanical Engineering, UBC
SleepSmart Wireless Sensing Sheet (Healthy adult volunteers)
The Collaborative Advanced Robotics and Intelligent Systems (CARIS) laboratory and the Robotics for Rehabilitation Exercise and Assessment in Collaborative Healthcare (RREACH) laboratory are conducting this study, which aims to improve home-based sleep disorder diagnostics.
We are conducting a study on biological characteristics of sleep, as measured by unobtrusive wireless sensors.
We are seeking healthy, adult volunteers who meet the following criteria:
- Nineteen years of age or older
- Ability to communicate in written and spoken English
- Absence of pre-existing heart, breathing, and sleep disorders
Participants will be asked to come to the UBC Point Grey campus and lie on a bed for an hour. The study will take approximately 90 minutes to complete. Volunteers will be required to complete a consent form before participating.
For more information, or to volunteer for this study, please contact:
Samantha Sterling
samantha.sterling@alumni.ubc.ca | 604-442-6210
Principal Investigator: Dr Mike Van der Loos, Associate Professor, Dept of Mechanical Engineering, UBC
FEATHERS Assessment Tool Sub-study: Using Motion-Control Games to Quantify Characteristics of Human Motion
For Healthy Adults, Young and Old
About
As part of FEATHERS Phase 3, the research team developed an automated assessment for the participants with hemiplegia to complete periodically throughout the course of the study. The “Assessment Tool” consists of a series of targets at different positions on the screen that the user needs to click on using the FEATHERS motion control system. The research team is looking at how healthy individuals perform when using this tool. The data collected from healthy participants will be used to study the effects of aging on these types of reaching motions. The healthy population will also be used as a control group to compare the hemiplegic population from FEATHERS Phase 3 to.
Eligibility
To take part in this sub-study as a healthy adult, you need to:
- Be 19 years or older
- Be able to speak and understand English
What is Involved
A 30-minute session using the FEATHERS system at the CARIS Lab on UBC Vancouver campus (located in ICICS building, room X015):
- Complete the Assessment Tool using modified PlayStation Move controllers
- Complete the Assessment Tool using Microsoft Kinect
- Play a short Facebook game using Microsoft Kinect
Interested?
If you would like to take part in this sub-study, please contact us!
(604) 352-8649
help.feathers@gmail.com
FEATHERS (Functional Engagement in Assisted Therapy Through Exercise Robotics)
Sony PlayStation controllers have been adapted by the research team to encourage computer game play using both hands together. These systems have been paired with Facebook games to offer a potentially motivating way for people with hemiplegia to do therapy in the comfort of their own home.
This phase of the study aims to test the effectiveness of a home-based therapy program using the system for bimanual therapy (using both hands together).
Eligibility
To take part in the study, you need to:
- Be 13 years or older
- Have one side of the body that is weaker than the other (hemiplegia or hemiparesis)
- Be able to lift your arms against gravity at least some distance
- Be able to move around on your own (with or without walking aides, or a manual or power wheelchair)
- Be able to follow instructions in English
- Not have had orthopedic surgery in the past 6 months
- Not be receiving other therapies that target arm function, including any form of physical therapy or Botox injections
What is Involved
- A 2-hour session in one of our collaborating community clinics (see below) for baseline assessments of function (assessing how much your motions are affected by your neurological injury), going over the treatment program and showing you how to use the gaming system
- A short home visit the next week to set up the equipment and review the treatment program
- 30 minutes, 5 times a week game-based therapy using the system for 2 months
- A 90-minute clinic visit at 2 months to have your progress assessed
- A 60-minute clinic visit at 4 months for follow-up assessments of function
Interested?
If you would like to take part, or want to learn more about the study, please contact us!
Stephanie Glegg
Study Occupational Therapist & Research Assistant
(604) 453-8300 ext. 8268
sglegg@cw.bc.ca
The Investigators
Researchers from the University of British Columbia (UBC) and community partners are working together on this project.
UBC Researchers:
- RREACH and CARIS Labs in the Department of Mechanical Engineering
- Department of Physical Therapy
- Department of Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy
- School of Human Kinetics
Community Partners:
- Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children (Vancouver)
- Abilities Neurological Rehabilitation, Inc. (Coquitlam, Surrey, Abbotsford, Chilliwack)
Study Investigators:
- Dr. Mike Van Der Loos
- Dr. Nicola Hodges
- Dr. Nasnin Virji-Babul
- Dr. Lara Boyd
- Dr. Elizabeth Croft
- Alison Hoens, MSc
Sunny Hill Research Investigator:
- Alec Black, MSc
Abilities Neurological Rehabilitation Investigator:
- Heather Branscombe, PT, MBA