Abstract
Background
Virtual
reality (VR) is a potentially promising tool for enhancing real-world
locomotion in individuals with mobility impairment through its ability
to provide personalized performance feedback and simulate real-world
challenges. However, it is unknown whether novel locomotor skills
learned in VR show sustained transfer to the real world. Here, as an
initial step towards developing a VR-based clinical intervention, we
study how young adults learn and transfer a treadmill-based virtual
obstacle negotiation skill to the real world.
Methods
On
Day 1, participants crossed virtual obstacles while walking on a
treadmill, with the instruction to minimize foot clearance during
obstacle crossing. Gradual changes in performance during training were
fit via non-linear mixed effect models. Immediate transfer was measured
by foot clearance during physical obstacle crossing while walking
over-ground. Retention of the obstacle negotiation skill in VR and
retention of over-ground transfer were assessed after 24 h.
Results
On
Day 1, participants systematically reduced foot clearance throughout
practice by an average of 5 cm (SD 4 cm) and transferred 3 cm (SD 1 cm)
of this reduction to over-ground walking. The acquired reduction in foot
clearance was also retained after 24 h in VR and over-ground. There was
only a small, but significant 0.8 cm increase in foot clearance in VR
and no significant increase in clearance over-ground on Day 2. Moreover,
individual differences in final performance at the end of practice on
Day 1 predicted retention both in VR and in the real environment.
Conclusions
Overall,
our results support the use of VR for locomotor training as skills
learned in a virtual environment readily transfer to real-world
locomotion. Future work is needed to determine if VR-based locomotor
training leads to sustained transfer in clinical populations with
mobility impairments, such as individuals with Parkinson’s disease and
stroke survivors.
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