Virtual reality device helps multiple sclerosis patients walk

Technion-Israel Institute of Technology scientists have created a virtual reality device that combines auditory and visual feedback to improve walking speed and stride length in patients suffering from Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson's disease. According to researchers, the device combines a wearable, cell phone sized audio component that measures body movement and send feedback to the user through earphones with a visual feedback apparatus. The visual component gives a virtual tiled floor image that is displayed on one eye by a tiny piece that clips onto glasses worn by the user. Users are able to distinguish between the virtual floor and real obstacles. Patients showed an average improvement in walking speed of 12.84% and a stride improvement of 8.3% while wearing the device. I found this article very interesting because it is the first device that responds to the patients motions as apposed to providing only visual or auditory cues.

http://www.news-medical.net/?id=24487