Rett syndrome (RTT) is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder that severely impairs motor and cognitive functions, posing significant challenges for rehabilitation. This paper presents Virtual Room 2.0, a non-immersive Virtual Reality (VR) exergame designed to promote upper limb rehabilitation in RTT patients through engaging, interactive exercises. The system is based on marker-less body tracking obtained via a stereo camera, which allows its use in non-laboratory environments, such as homes and day centers. A 40-session, 10-week training protocol was conducted to assess the system’s effectiveness, involving 10 RTT patients of different ages and clinical stages. Motion data were collected and analyzed to assess improvements in reaching movements. Results indicate a positive trend in upper limb function as well as increased motivation and engagement, confirming the potential of non-immersive VR-based rehabilitation for RTT patients.
The OST-NEDs technology still faces major challenges—particularly, the ghosting effect, in which virtual objects appear semi-transparent against the background due to additive optics. This compromises depth perception, occlusion cues, and overall visual realism [2] .
In virtual reality (VR) environments, users often face limitations in spatial awareness and object localization, particularly for elements outside their immediate field of view. This study investigates how audiovisual spatial coherence affects spatial perception efficacy in VR, comparing the subjective and objective impacts of different spatial audio modalities. We conducted a controlled experiment with 24 participants performing object detection tasks under three conditions: 5.1.4 surround sound, binaural spatial audio, and traditional 2D audio. Our analysis encompassed omnidirectional, rear-space, and overhead target scenarios to comprehensively evaluate spatial perception performance. To enable precise 5.1.4 spatial audio implementation, we developed a custom ASIO-based audio system integrated with Unity for accurate multi-channel rendering. Results demonstrate that both spatial audio systems significantly improved object detection accuracy and reduced response times compared to 2D audio, with 5.1.4 spatial audio showing superior performance in challenging spatial conditions. Head movement analysis revealed that spatial audio significantly improved user attention allocation, while subjective evaluations indicated advantages of 5.1.4 spatial audio in comfort and reduced fatigue. These findings provide empirical evidence for the critical role of audiovisual coherence in VR spatial perception and offer practical insights for optimizing immersive experiences through appropriate spatial audio implementation.
As extended reality (XR) technologies become increasingly integrated into workplace environments, ethical and human centered design considerations grow more critical for society. Fictional narratives such as Psycho-Pass, Detroit: Become Human, and Black Mirror provide illustrations of artificial intelligence (AI) integrated systems that adapt to context, sense emotions, and mediate human behavior. Drawing on these speculative sources, this paper seeks to propose a framework of ethical design strategies for XR workplaces in three domains: adaptive interfaces, multimodal feedback, and embodied cognitive support. By bridging fiction and design, the paper advocates for emotionally responsive systems that enhance user agency and well-being while avoiding the pitfalls of surveillance, overload, and autonomy mismanagement. The goal is to reframe dystopian warnings into constructive guidelines that promote inclusive, trustworthy, and sustainable XR work environments.
