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A Virtual Reality-Based Cognitive Telerehabilitation System for Use in the COVID-19 Pandemic

Author

Listed:
  • José Varela-Aldás

    (SISAu Research Group, Facultad de Ingeniería y Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación, Universidad Tecnológica Indoamérica, Ambato 180103, Ecuador
    Department of Electronic Engineering and Communications, University of Zaragoza, 44003 Teruel, Spain)

  • Jorge Buele

    (SISAu Research Group, Facultad de Ingeniería y Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación, Universidad Tecnológica Indoamérica, Ambato 180103, Ecuador
    Escuela Superior de Ingeniería y Tecnología, Universidad Internacional de la Rioja, 26006 Logroño, Spain)

  • Pedro Ramos Lorente

    (Department of Electronic Engineering and Communications, University of Zaragoza, 44003 Teruel, Spain)

  • Iván García-Magariño

    (Department of Software Engineering and Artificial Intelligence, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain)

  • Guillermo Palacios-Navarro

    (Department of Electronic Engineering and Communications, University of Zaragoza, 44003 Teruel, Spain)

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed people’s lives and the way in which certain services are provided. Such changes are not uncommon in healthcare services and they will have to adapt to the new situation by increasing the number of services remotely offered. Limited mobility has resulted in interruption of treatments that traditionally have been administered through face-to-face modalities, especially those related to cognitive impairments. In this telerehabilitation approach, both the patient and the specialist physician enter a virtual reality (VR) environment where they can interact in real time through avatars. A spaced retrieval (SR) task is implemented in the system to analyze cognitive performance. An experimental group ( n = 20) performed the SR task in telerehabilitation mode, whereas a control group ( n = 20) performed the SR task through a traditional face-to-face mode. The obtained results showed that it is possible to carry out cognitive rehabilitation processes through a telerehabilitation modality in conjunction with VR. The cost-effectiveness of the system will also contribute to making healthcare systems more efficient, overcoming both geographical and temporal limitations.

Suggested Citation

  • José Varela-Aldás & Jorge Buele & Pedro Ramos Lorente & Iván García-Magariño & Guillermo Palacios-Navarro, 2021. "A Virtual Reality-Based Cognitive Telerehabilitation System for Use in the COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-23, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:4:p:2183-:d:501313
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    Cited by:

    1. Wen-Jye Shyr & Hung-Ming Liau & Chia-Chen Hsu & Chia-Hung Chen, 2021. "Assess the Engagement with 3D Virtual Learning Tools during the COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-13, August.

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