Virtual Reality Based Testing of Power Wheelchair Driving Skills

NCT00951509 | Completed Results

• 2 other identifiers: A6035-R02691
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 31
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The purpose of this research study is to examine whether computer based or virtual reality based driving assessments are as useful as real-world power wheelchair driving tests in measuring driving performance and whether they may be useful in helping to identify the problems that some individuals may have with driving power wheelchairs. The specific aims are as follows: Specific Aim 1: To develop computer-based and VR-based wheelchair driving assessments for both drivers and non-drivers that correspond to an accepted real-world driving assessment (Power Mobility Road Test) and compare them to the real-world assessment and to each other. Specific Aim 2: To develop additional features of the computer-based and VR-based assessments that present dynamic tasks and determine whether skills on these tasks can be delineated within the virtual environment.

Conditions

Spinal Cord Injury; Spina Bifida; Spinal Cord Disease

Keywords

Electric power wheelchair driving; rehabilitation; driving assessments

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Composite Power Mobility Road Test (PMRT) Scores

  The computer-based and the virtual environments will be modeled after and scored similarly to the real world PMRT. The PMRT contains two domains: Structured Elements/Tasks and Unstructured Skilled Driving. The first domains contain 16 tasks that include activities such as passing through standard width doorways, and turning a ninety-degree turn, turning 180 degrees. In both domains, each task is scored from 1 to 4, depending on speed and the number of collisions that occur with obstacles. A total score for the entire test is calculated out of a possible 64 points, and the final score on the test reflects the percentage of total points acquired1. A passing score is a percentage of \> 95%.

  Baseline in-lab testing

Study Arms (5)

Condition 1 (PC Screens with No Rollers)

All subjects (Repeated - measures study design): All subjects were evaluated with the Power Mobility Road Test (PMRT).

Other: Power Mobility Road Test (PMRT)

Condition 2 (PC Screens with Rollers)

All subjects (Repeated - measures study design): All subjects were evaluated with the Power Mobility Road Test (PMRT).

Other: Power Mobility Road Test (PMRT)

Condition 3 (VR Screens with No Rollers)

All subjects (Repeated - measures study design): All subjects were evaluated with the Power Mobility Road Test (PMRT).

Other: Power Mobility Road Test (PMRT)

Condition 4 (VR Screens with Rollers)

All subjects (Repeated - measures study design): All subjects were evaluated with the Power Mobility Road Test (PMRT).

Other: Power Mobility Road Test (PMRT)

Condntion 5 (Real-world driving)

All subjects (Repeated - measures study design): All subjects were evaluated with the Power Mobility Road Test (PMRT).

Other: Power Mobility Road Test (PMRT)

Interventions

Power Mobility Road Test (PMRT) OTHER

All subjects will underwent the Power Mobility Road Test (PMRT), and the clinicians scored the driving performance within each condition.

Condition 1 (PC Screens with No Rollers); Condition 2 (PC Screens with Rollers); Condition 3 (VR Screens with No Rollers); Condition 4 (VR Screens with Rollers); Condntion 5 (Real-world driving)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 80 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

People with physical disabilities who have a mobility impairment due to any any spinal cord disease condition (e.g. Spinal Cord Injury, Spina Bifida)

You may qualify if:

• Subjects must be between 18 to 80 years old.
• Subjects must have a diagnosis of SCI, spina bifida, syringomyelia, spinal stenosis, transverse myelitis, ALS, spinal cord disease, multiple sclerosis, stroke, polytraumatic injury, or TBI with residual motor, sensory, or cognitive impairments that impair mobility.
• Subjects must use a power wheelchair or an attendant propelled manual wheelchair for all or part of their mobility.
• Subjects must be able to provide informed consent.
• Subjects must have very basic cognitive, visual, and motor skills to interact with an interface.

You may not qualify if:

• Subjects who have active pelvic or thigh wounds. (They may be worsened by prolonged sitting).
• Subjects with a history of seizures in the last 90 days. (A computer screen task has the potential to induce seizures).
• Subjects who do not pass the screening protocol.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• US Department of Veterans Affairs: lead

Study Sites (1)

VA Pittsburgh Health Care System

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15240, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Spinal Cord Injuries; Spinal Dysraphism; Spinal Cord Diseases

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Trauma, Nervous System; Wounds and Injuries; Neural Tube Defects; Nervous System Malformations; Congenital Abnormalities; Congenital, Hereditary, and Neonatal Diseases and Abnormalities

Results Point of Contact

• Title: Rory Cooper, PhD
• Organization: Human Engineering Research Labs

rcooper@pitt.edu

412-822-3700

Study Officials

• Rory A. Cooper, PhD

  Director, Center of Excellence for Wheelchairs and Related Technology

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Publication Agreements

• PI is Sponsor Employee: No
• Restrictive Agreement: No

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: COHORT
• Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE
• Sponsor Type: FED
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: August 3, 2009
• First Posted: August 4, 2009
• Study Start: August 1, 2011
• Primary Completion: January 1, 2013
• Study Completion: January 1, 2013
• Last Updated: August 24, 2015
• Results First Posted: August 24, 2015

Record last verified: 2015-07

Locations

US (1)