MetaRehab: Enhancing Parkinson's Disease Rehabilitation through Gamified Virtual Reality, a Usability Study

Motor impairment and cognitive decline are the most relevant symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD), a neurodegenerative syndrome that is usually treated with pharmacological and rehabilitation therapy. However, traditional physical and cognitive rehabilitation approaches require frequent visits to specialized centers and often lack engagement, leading to demotivation and non-compliance. The increasing prevalence of neurodegenerative syndromes highlights the need for innovative, more sustainable and entertaining rehabilitation strategies. This study explores the potential of immersive Virtual Reality (VR) in physical and cognitive at-home rehabilitation. By incorporating gamification elements, our approach aims to increase patient motivation and engagement, which are crucial for successful rehabilitation outcomes. The use of Natural User Interfaces in the application increases user engagement and the user experience by enabling intuitive interactions and thus promoting a sense of agency. In addition, the VR environment utilizes different communication channels to deliver instructions and feedback on activities, ensuring that the system is accessible to individuals with different needs and preferences. In this paper, we describe the experimental evaluation of the usability and perceived effort of MetaRehab, the proposed VR-based rehabilitation process, prior to its application in a therapeutic context. These preliminary results provide a solid foundation for future enhancements aimed at adding new features and further increasing system inclusivity and engagement.