Metaverse Applications in Clinical Neurorehabiliation: Device Feasibility

Tele-Rehabilitation Solutions With Innovative Cores of Extended Reality Based on Metaverse

The main objective of the TERSICORE project is the development of a new advanced set of exergames in the Metaverse that can be used in all clinical and home rehabilitation devices to improve the cognitive therapy of neurological patients by exploiting the potential of social rehabilitation. Five specific exargames will be developed: a) Cooking therapy (Coordinating in a kitchen to complete a dish through shared activities); b) Escape Room (Exiting a simulated room by solving problems and logic puzzles); c) Nostalgia Bits (Sharing personal reminiscence narratives within simulated spaces); d) NeuroTeam (Mindfulness); and e) Truman Show Exploration of an urban space and role-playing.

All exargames will be validated on a small population of neurological patients according to cognitive profile.

Inclusion Criteria for patients:

• Adult age: 18-85 years
• Education: at least 5 years
• Cognitive deficits at routine outpatient clinical neuropsychological assessment (at least one test with p.e. 0/1) in subjects with focal neurological insult - (post-Stroke, post-Cranial Trauma)
• neurodegenerative disorders - (Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's, Mild Cognitive Impairment, AD-like)

Exclusion criteria for patients:

• Severe cognitive impairment MMSE <22
• Presence of severe deficits in visual acuity, hearing perception, communication and severe dysmetria, such as to interfere with the administration of the activities proposed by TERSICORE
• Presence of major psychiatric or neurological pathologies other than the inclusion criteria