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Purpose: In France, tens of thousands of people use a wheelchair. Driving powered wheelchairs (PWCs) present risks for users and their families. The risk of collision in PWC driver increases with severity of disability and may reduce their independence to drive. The European ADAPT project has developed a robotic assistance add-on for PWCs to prevent collisions and improve their driving performance., Materials and Methods: The aim of the SWADAPT2 study is to assess the benefit of this robotic assistance add-on arranged on a Standard Quickie Salsa M2 PWC in a population of PWC drivers with neurological disorders and driving difficulties. Eighteen (18) participants tested the system on three circuits of increasing difficulty, with and without the robotic assistance add-on., Results: The benefit of the robotic assistance add-on was important especially on the more difficult circuits without impacting cognitive load or driving speed. The number of collisions was significantly reduced when using robotic assistance add-on from 2.16 to 0.36 on circuit 2 ( p  = 0.009) and from 7.3 to 1.33 on circuit 3 ( p  = 0.0009). Task load demand was not increased with the assistance., Conclusion: Finally, this system seems to be indicated to assist and improve driving safety for PWC drivers in driving difficulty. Evaluation was performed in controlled environments; therefore, further evaluation in real-world scenarios is needed to reach technology readiness.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate users' driving performances with a Power Wheelchair (PWC) driving simulator in comparison to the same driving task in real conditions with a standard power wheelchair., Methods: Three driving circuits of progressive difficulty levels (C1, C2, C3) that were elaborated to assess the driving performances with PWC in indoor situations, were used in this study. These circuits have been modeled in a 3D Virtual Environment to replicate the three driving task scenarios in Virtual Reality (VR). Users were asked to complete the three circuits with respect to two testing conditions during three successive sessions, i.e. in VR and on a real circuit (R). During each session, users completed the two conditions. Driving performances were evaluated using the number of collisions and time to complete the circuit. In addition, driving ability by Wheelchair Skill Test (WST) and mental load were assessed in both conditions. Cybersickness, user satisfaction and sense of presence were measured in VR. The conditions R and VR were randomized., Results: Thirty-one participants with neurological disorders and expert wheelchair drivers were included in the study. The driving performances between VR and R conditions were statistically different for the C3 circuit but were not statistically different for the two easiest circuits C1 and C2. The results of the WST was not statistically different in C1, C2 and C3. The mental load was higher in VR than in R condition. The general sense of presence was reported as acceptable (mean value of 4.6 out of 6) for all the participants, and the cybersickness was reported as acceptable (SSQ mean value of 4.25 on the three circuits in VR condition)., Conclusion: Driving performances were statistically different in the most complicated circuit C3 with an increased number of collisions in VR, but were not statistically different for the two easiest circuits C1 and C2 in R and VR conditions. In addition, there were no significant adverse effects such as cybersickness. The results show the value of the simulator for driving training applications. Still, the mental load was higher in VR than in R condition, thus mitigating the potential for use with people with cognitive disorders. Further studies should be conducted to assess the quality of skill transfer for novice drivers from the simulator to the real world. Trial registration Ethical approval n ∘ 2019-A001306-51 from Comité de Protection des Personnes Sud Mediterranée IV. Trial registered the 19/11/2019 on ClinicalTrials.gov in ID: NCT04171973., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Transvaginal oocyte retrieval is an outpatient procedure performed under local anaesthesia. Hypno-analgesia could be effective in managing comfort during this procedure. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a virtual reality headset as an adjunct to local anaesthesia in managing nociception during oocyte retrieval. This was a prospective, randomized single-centre study including patients undergoing oocyte retrieval under local anaesthesia. Patients were randomly assigned to the intervention group (virtual reality headset + local anaesthesia) or the control group (local anaesthesia). The primary outcome was the efficacy on the ANI ® , which reflects the relative parasympathetic tone. Secondary outcomes included pain, anxiety, conversion to general anaesthesia rate, procedural duration, patient's and gynaecologist's satisfaction and virtual reality headset tolerance. ANI was significantly lower in the virtual reality group during the whole procedure (mean ANI: 79 95 CI [77; 81] vs 74 95 CI [72; 76]; p < 0.001; effect size Cohen's d -0.53 [-0.83, -0.23]), and during the two most painful moments: infiltration (mean ANI: 81 +/- 11 vs 74 +/- 13; p < 0.001; effect size Cohen's d -0.54[-0.85, -0.24]) and oocytes retrieval (mean ANI: 78 +/- 11 vs 74.40 +/- 11; p = 0.020; effect size Cohen's d -0.37 [-0.67, -0.07]).There was no significant difference in pain measured by VAS. No serious adverse events related were reported. The integration of virtual reality as an hypnotic tool during oocyte retrieval under local anaesthesia in assisted reproductive techniques could improve patient's comfort and experience., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

The mobility of people with motor disabilities combined with sensory or cognitive disabilities, sometimes leads to safety issues that make independent travel impossible. In this context, teams based in Rennes in the west of France have been working together for several years to design two devices: - an power wheelchair simulator to promote learning to drive in an immersive virtual environment - a driving assistance module that can be added to an power wheelchair to pass and avoid obstacles. This transdisciplinary work was made possible by the geographical and human proximity of the scientific, technical and clinical teams in order to best meet the needs of the end users who were integrated into this co-design approach. This article describes the evolution of this work and future prospects.

Context: Several options are available for the care of neurological conditions including care delivered in rehabilitation centres, at home or remotely. While economic studies are available comparing centres and homes, very little economic data relates to mobile teams comparing face-to-face and remote care., Objective: To conduct an economic study comparing face-to-face care at home and care delivered remotely (tele-rehabilitation)., Method: A randomised clinical study with two groups; a control group receiving home care and an experimental group receiving tele-rehabilitation. The primary outcome measure was the ICER (Incremental Cost Effectiveness Ratio)., Participants: Patients with severe neurological disabilities., Results: 80 patients were enrolled in the study; 77 were analysed to calculate the ICER, which was positive and located in the SW quadrant. A bootstrap with 1000 replications was positioned at 72.8% in the SW quadrant., Conclusion: Tele-rehabilitation is an acceptable alternative to the management of neurological patients at home. In the mildest cases, remote-rehabilitation may even be dominant. More extensive studies are needed to specify the indications., Competing Interests: The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (© The Author(s) 2023.)

Spasticity is one of the most disabling symptoms in multiple sclerosis (MS). Botulinum toxin injection (BTI) is a first-line treatment for focal spasticity. There is a lack of evidence of a functional improvement following BTI in MS-related spasticity. To describe goal-setting for BTI in MS, and evaluate the degree of attainment, using goal attainment scaling (GAS) 4-to-6 weeks after injection session, a one-year multi-center retrospective observational study assessing goal-setting and achievement during BTI session in spastic patients with MS was set up. Following the GAS method, patients and their physicians set up to three goals and scored their achievement 4 to 6 weeks thereafter. Commonly used goals from three centers were combined into a standardized list and 125 single BTI sessions were analyzed. The most frequent goals regarded lower limb (LL) impairments (equinovarus foot, toe claw) or locomotion (stability, walking distance, clinging) and accounted for 89.1%, versus 10.9% for upper limb (UL), mostly for mild-to-moderate MS. Overall, goals were frequently achieved (85.77%) mainly when related to gait and mobility rather than hygiene and ease of care. This study gives an overview on the most frequent, relevant, and achievable goals to be set in real-life practice of BTI for spasticity management in MS.

Background: Parkinson disease is a neurodegenerative disease causing a progressive loss of autonomy. This requires long-term rehabilitation care. Currently, new technologies are being developed for use in daily life, and there is a progressive implementation of telerehabilitation., Objective: The aim of this study (the TELEP@RK study) is to evaluate the uses of a digital self-rehabilitation device in patients with Parkinson disease and their independent physiotherapists on the scale of a health territory., Methods: A total of 10 independent physiotherapists and 31 patients with Parkinson disease were followed for 1 year to evaluate the use of a telerehabilitation tool (digital tablet and inertial sensor) via questionnaires of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). The questionnaires were submitted to participants at 0, 2, and 12 months from the start of follow-up. The averages of the scores of the different determinants and constructs of the UTAUT questionnaires were compared at the different follow-up times., Results: Among professionals, the averages of the various determinants were generally high at the beginning of the study with an average (out of 5) performance expectancy of 4.19, effort expectancy of 3.88, social influence of 3.95, facilitating conditions of 4, and intention to use of 3.97. These averages decreased over time., Conclusions: Acceptability, acceptance, and appropriation of the tool were very high among the physiotherapists as well as the patients, despite the tool's lack of evolution during the study. In the current health care context, these results allow us to envision a new organization of the care pathway for patients with chronic diseases, with the increased use of new technologies associated with telecare., (©Margaux Blanc, Anne-Laure Roy, Bastien Fraudet, Patrice Piette, Elodie Le Toullec, Benoit Nicolas, Philippe Gallien, Emilie Leblong. Originally published in JMIR Serious Games (https://games.jmir.org), 07.02.2022.)

Objectives: The objective of this study is to highlight the effect of a robotic driver assistance module of powered wheelchair (PWC), using infrared sensors and accessorizing a commercial wheelchair) on the reduction of the number of collisions in standardized circuit in a population with neurological disorders by comparing driving performance with and without assistance., Methods: This is a prospective, single-center, controlled, repeated measure design, single-blind pilot study including patients with neurological disabilities who are usual drivers of electric wheelchairs. The main criterion for evaluating the device is the number of collisions with and without the assistance of a prototype anti-collision system on three circuits of increasing complexity. Travel times, cognitive load, driving performance, and user satisfaction are also analyzed., Results: 23 Patients, 11 women and 12 men with a mean age of 48 years old completed the study. There was a statistically significant reduction in the number of collisions on the most complex circuit: 61% experienced collisions without assistance versus 39% with assistance (p = 0.038)., Conclusion: This study concludes that the PWC driving assistance module is efficient in terms of safety without reducing the speed of movement in a population of people with disabilities who are habitual wheelchair drivers. The prospects are therefore to conduct tests on a target population with driving failure or difficulty who could benefit from this device so as to allow them to travel independently and safely., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Autonomy and social inclusion can reveal themselves everyday challenges for people experiencing mobility impairments. These people can benefit from technical aids such as power wheelchairs to access mobility and overcome social exclusion. However, power wheelchair driving is a challenging task which requires good visual, cognitive and visuo-spatial abilities. Besides, a power wheelchair can cause material damage or represent a danger of injury for others or oneself if not operated safely. Therefore, training and repeated practice are mandatory to acquire safe driving skills to obtain power wheelchair prescription from therapists. However, conventional training programs may reveal themselves insufficient for some people with severe impairments. In this context, Virtual Reality offers the opportunity to design innovative learning and training programs while providing realistic wheelchair driving experience within a virtual environment. In line with this, we propose a user-centered design of a multisensory power wheelchair simulator. This simulator addresses classical virtual experience drawbacks such as cybersickness and sense of presence by combining 3D visual rendering, haptic feedback and motion cues. It relies on a modular and versatile workflow enabling not only easy interfacing with any virtual display, but also with any user interface such as wheelchair controllers or feedback devices. This paper presents the design of the first implementation as well as its first commissioning through pretests. The first setup achieves consistent and realistic behavior.

Balance disorders after stroke have a particularly detrimental influence on recovery of autonomy and walking. The present study is aimed at assessing the effect of proprioceptive stimulation by neck muscle vibration (NMV) on the balance of patients with right hemispheric lesion (RHL) and left hemispheric lesion (LHL). Thirty-one (31) patients (15 RHL and 16 LHL), mean age 61.5 years (±10.6), mean delay 3.1 (±1.6) months after one hemispheric stroke were included in this prospective study. The mean position in mediolateral and anteroposterior plane of the CoP (center of pressure) and the surface were evaluated using a force platform at rest and immediately after 10 min of vibration on the contralesional dorsal neck muscle. NMV decreases the lateral deviation balance induced by the stroke. Twenty patients (64.5 %) experienced a visual illusion of light spot moving toward the side opposite stimulus. These patients showed more improvement by vibration than those without visual illusion. There was an interaction between sensitivity and side of stroke on the effect of NMV. Proprioceptive stimulation by NMV reduces postural asymmetry after stroke. This short-term effect of the vibration is more effective in patients susceptible to visual illusion. This result was consistent with a central effect of NMV on the structures involved in the elaboration of perception of body in space.