Rehabilitation support apparatus, method therefor, and program
Inventors
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11775055-B2
Publication Date
2023-10-03
Expiration Date
Abstract
An apparatus for supporting rehabilitation of a user includes a detector that detects a direction of a head of the user wearing a head mounted display, and a display controller that generates, in a virtual space, a rehabilitation target object to be visually recognized by the user and displays the target object on the head mounted display in accordance with the direction of the head of the user detected by the detector. To avoid risk that the user interferes with an object in a real space, the display controller further controls display of the head mounted display.
Core Innovation
The rehabilitation support apparatus supports rehabilitation of a user by using a detector that detects a direction of a head of the user wearing a head mounted display, and by generating, in a virtual space, a rehabilitation target object that is visually recognized by the user. The apparatus displays the rehabilitation target object on the head mounted display in accordance with the detected direction of the head. This links the user's head direction to the displayed target object in the virtual space.
To solve the risk that the user hits the floor surface or the wall surface in the real space, the display controller is configured to control movement of the target object when it moves toward the floor surface or the wall surface. For such cases, the display controller makes the target object disappear, stop, or reversely move at a position apart from the floor surface or the wall surface by a predetermined distance.
In an obstacle-aware embodiment, a floor surface and wall surface position is sensed and obstacle positions can be sensed as well, including a dynamic obstacle such as a person. Corresponding display control is used to avoid interference, including changing direction, showing an obstacle/wall object, and providing inhibition notifications via visual, voice, or tactile stimulation.
Claims Coverage
The document includes three independent claims covering a rehabilitation support apparatus, a rehabilitation supporting method, and a non-transitory computer-readable medium. Across the independent claims, there are three core inventive feature groups: head-direction-based generation and display of a virtual rehabilitation target object, real-space sensing of floor and wall surfaces, and predetermined-distance collision-risk mitigation by disappear, stop, or reversely move behavior.
Head-direction aligned virtual rehabilitation target display
A detector detects a direction of a head of the user wearing a head mounted display, and a display controller generates, in a virtual space, a rehabilitation target object to be visually recognized by the user and displays the target object on the head mounted display in accordance with the direction of the head.
Real-space floor and wall position sensing
A first sensor senses a position of at least one of a floor surface and a wall surface in the real space around the user for use in generating and displaying the rehabilitation target object.
Predetermined-distance disappearance, stop, or reverse collision-risk avoidance
Where the target object moves toward the floor surface or the wall surface, the display controller makes the target object disappear, stop, or reversely move at a position apart from the floor surface or the wall surface by a predetermined distance to avoid risk that the user hits the floor surface or the wall surface.
The independent claims consistently require head-direction detection with a head mounted display, sensing real-space floor and wall positions, and collision-risk mitigation by controlling the rehabilitation target object to disappear, stop, or reversely move at a predetermined offset distance.
Stated Advantages
Avoids risk that the user hits the floor surface or the wall surface in the real space.
Controls the target object to be positioned apart from the floor surface or the wall surface by a predetermined distance when the target object moves toward those surfaces.
Obstacle-aware display control provides collision-risk mitigation when obstacles are detected, including changing direction, displaying obstacle/wall objects, and providing inhibition notifications.
Documented Applications
Rehabilitation support using a head mounted display for a user, including rehabilitation evaluation and task control using action detector, evaluator, feedback unit, task set database, and calibrator/level evaluator to adjust target object generation position based on user action level.
Rehabilitation supporting method for supporting rehabilitation of a user using head direction detection, floor and wall sensing, virtual target object generation, and safety behavior when approaching floor and wall surfaces.
Implementation as a program or non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program that causes a computer to execute the rehabilitation supporting method.
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