Virtual Characters, Avatars And Motion Interfaces For Improving Physical Therapy

I will present in this talk our recent results on human-like motion planning and interaction for training and rehabilitation applications. Our approach for human-like motion planning is based on a multi-modal framework that coordinates locomotion, body positioning, and upper-body action execution. Blending spaces defined from example motions are then introduced for achieving continuous search spaces suitable for planning human-like variations of a given action. Example motions are collected by demonstration by means of a virtual reality interface developed on the UC Merced Powerwall, or by means of a low-cost Kinect-based solution. The overall approach leads to new interfaces for physical therapy applications. Exercises are modeled by demonstration and later autonomously delivered and monitored by virtual therapists. The virtual therapist also functions as an avatar during remote therapy sessions between real therapists and patients. Examples in the context of hand and upper-body motion rehabilitation will be presented.

Speaker: Marcelo Kallmann