Virtual Reality & Mobility

The Research Unit on Virtual Reality & Mobility focuses on research that leads to: 1) the understanding of normal visuomotor mechanisms (perception and eye movement) regulating the control of locomotion and balance; 2) the investigation of abnormal visuomotor mechanisms and their role in the poor control of balance and mobility in older adults and persons with stroke; and 3) the development of novel virtual reality based therapies that provide enhanced visual environments to treat and/or prevent balance and mobility disorders. State-of-the-art equipment purchased with CFI funds include a miniature video-based eye motion tracking system (ASL) and a portable head mounted display (NVisor) to visualize the virtual environments. Virtual environments are created by versatile animation software (Softimage) and controlled by special software (Caren D-Flow) that runs on a powerful PC workstation.

List of current projects

Dr. Anouk Lamontagne

• Use of virtual reality for the rehabilitation of walking after stroke
• Visuomotor control of locomotion in stroke and in the healthy elderly
• Cortical areas involved in the control of locomotor steering
• Coordination of upper and lower limbs during gait
• The influence of visuospatial neglect on locomotor abilities
• Playing piano to enhance upper extremity function after stroke (M. Villeneuve)