Can Force Feedback and Science Learning Enhance the Effectiveness of Neuro-Rehabilitation? An Experimental Study on Using a Low-Cost 3D Joystick and a Virtual Visit to a Zoo

In this paper, we demonstrate that healthy adults respond differentially to the administration of force feedback and the presentation of scientific content in a virtual environment, where they interact with a low-cost haptic device. Subjects are tasked with controlling the movement of a cursor on a predefined trajectory that is superimposed on a map of New York City’s Bronx Zoo. The system is characterized in terms of a suite of objective indices quantifying the subjects’ dexterity in planning and generating the multijoint visuomotor tasks. We find that force feedback regulates the smoothness, accuracy, and duration of the subject’s movement, whereby converging or diverging force fields influence the range of variations of the hand speed. Finally, our findings provide preliminary evidence that using educational content increases subjects’ satisfaction. Improving the level of interest through the inclusion of learning elements can increase the time spent performing rehabilitation tasks and promote learning in a new context.