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People with physical disabilities needs safe environments in which to learn basic skills. Virtual Reality is the answer.
ORI scientists were the first to use Virtual Reality to teach motor skills to children with disabilities. We have used this method to increase the mobility of blind and deaf-blind children, as well as for training children to operate their wheelchairs. The computer-generated environment simulates a busy street much as in a computer game and, through virtual reality technology, the child has the experience of driving the wheelchair.
Our researchers are developing a variety of education and rehabilitation programs for individuals with disabilities. Computer-simulated environments are becoming more and more realistic, offering a real-world experience in the safety of the training labs.
Current GrantsTeaching Children who are Blind or Visually Impaired Spatial Awareness and Direction in Virtual Reality with Assessment in Actual Reality (Spatial Awareness)
The research team seeks to answer the following question: Do spatial awareness and direction skills, as measured in the real world, improve as a function of training in Virtual Reality?
Principal Investigator: Dean Inman
Project Period: 10/1/10 - 9/30/13
U. S. Department of Education