Project: Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center for Children with Orthopedic Disabilities

Funded by: National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR)

Grant: H133EO50011,  11/1/05 - 10/30/11

Our group has run small pilot studies with children with hemiplegia due to cerebral palsy using the NJIT-RAVR robotics/virtual reality system in order to establish that the combination of robotic facilitation of two and three dimensional movements with complex game-like virtual simulations can accomplish the repetition, attention and ecological validity required for effective massed practice. In addition, we attempted to demonstrate that a short program of RAVR training may contribute to improvements in motor function by measuring changes in grip strength, active range of motion, performance on a standardized measure of reaching and object manipulation as well as measurement of reaching kinematics in children with upper extremity hemiplegia secondary to cerebral palsy. These pilot studies of NJIT-RAVR training demonstrated measurable benefit with no complications, warranting further examination.