Patients with sensory, motor or cognitive disabilities encounter difficulties when performing real-life tasks such as navigating transportation and community facilities and even shopping. To help these patients resume their independence, Prof. David Man Wai-kwong at the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences led a research team to develop computer-assisted rehabilitation systems using non-immersive 3D virtual reality technology. The systems would provide patients with vocational training and assist them in mastering the skills for living in the community.

The systems included the VRehab consisting of a series of training modules on community living and going shopping, and the Virtual Reality based Vocational Training System which is a work scenario for training basic and advanced skills to be a boutique salesperson. The system can also record users’ performance and monitor their progress in the time required to complete tasks, accuracy, moving distance and occurrence frequency of dangerous actions.