Completion of Randomized Controlled Trial of Rehabilitation Games for Pediatric Hemiplegia

The Motivating Occupational Virtual Experiences In Therapy for kids (MOVE-IT) SBIR Phase II program developed a system for telehealth delivery of intensive rehabilitation for pediatric hemiplegia through smart toy-enabled games that inspire high-dosage, task-directed upper extremity (UE) movements. The MOVE-IT system employs therapy games that combine virtual- and real-world physical elements to provide intensive, task-directed therapy at home or in a clinic. A rater-blinded, randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted involving a 10-week, telehealth-supervised MOVE-IT program for improvement in UE motor function. The results demonstrated the safety, usability, and user acceptance of the new technology. This work resulted in issued U.S. Patent No. 11,911,651. The program was sponsored by the National Institutes of Health under grant 5R44HD092169-03.