Barron Associates Receives Grant from National Institutes of Health to Develop Virtual Occupational Therapy Application (VOTA)

The Virtual Occupational Therapy Application (VOTA) will enable stroke patients to practice activities of daily living (ADLs) as part of an in-patient, skilled nursing, outpatient, home health, and/or teletherapy rehabilitation program. The system employs low-cost human motion tracking, advanced kinematic pose estimation algorithms, and state-of-the-art game engine technology to create a compelling world in which patients can perform realistic virtual ADLs that challenge both motor and cognitive function. The system’s advanced human motion tracking capabilities enable automatic generation of performance metrics, supporting both user feedback and remote monitoring of user status by providers. The grant effort includes development of commercial software and randomized, controlled trials to investigate VOTA efficacy, as measured by improvement in standardized assessment scores over a course of therapy.