Immersive Virtual Reality Simulation of the Nine-Hole Peg Test for Post-Stroke Patients

Abstract

The Nine-Hole Peg Test (NHPT) is a standard clinical tool to assess the hand dexterity of a subject with impaired mobility. Virtual reality (VR) offers several advantages in evaluating the user’s performance (such as upper limb mobility, movement coordination, precision, and stability) and customizing the rehabilitation task. However, the VR-based NHPT may require more time to complete due to the unfamiliarity of the VR environment and the lack of haptic feedback. In the study, 40 participants were recruited to compare the execution time between conventional NHPT and VR NHPT. The results revealed that participants spend significantly more time in VR than in the physical test (Wilcoxon Rank Sum test, p < 0.0001). This study demonstrates the need for new norms for the virtualized NHPT in order to evaluate hand dexterity.