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Flex2Play: An Ankle Strength Training Device With Virtual Reality Interface for Children With Cerebral Palsy

By Hill, Kelly; Meppelink, Amanda; Phillips, Elizabeth; RESNA 2012 Student Design Competition,
Publication Date: June 13, 2012

Paper outlines the development of an in-home ankle strength training device with a game playing interface for children with cerebral palsy (CP). The Flex2Play has a virtual reality interface that converts patients’ ankle movements into control of online video games through the use of a Nintendo WiiMote. The device allows progressive resistance training and can be customized by a therapist for each user’s needs. The Flex2Pay hardware has four parts: (1) an aluminum footplate with adjustable side plates and two adjustable Velcro straps, (2) a height adjustable steel base with rubber feet to prevent slipping, (3) a hinge connecting the footplate to the base and rotating about a single axle parallel to the ground to allow the user to dorsiflex and plantarflex, and (4) six Thera-Band elastic bands that can be selected by a therapist based on the resistive force desired. The software consists of a WiiMote and a personal computer. The WiiMote strapped to the footplate translates footplate motion into computer game control. The WiiMote connects to a computer via Bluetooth and uses the freely available software program Glove Programmable Input Emulator (GlovePIE) to control the games. The Flex2Play system was designed by engineering students at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. The article includes a video demonstration of the device.

Assistive Products Discussed: THERA-BAND LATEX EXERCISE BANDS
Published by: Rehabilitation Engineering & Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA)   (Website:http://www.resna.org)

Rehabilitation Engineering & Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA)    (Web Site: http://www.resna.org )
Link to text: http://aac-rerc.psu.edu/wordpressmu/RESNA-SDC/2012/06/13/flex2play-an-ankle-strength-training-device-with-virtual-reality-interface-for-children-with-cerebral-palsy-washington-university-in-st-louis/
Link to video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=e_xIaMkZfbg
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