Personalized eXtended Reality experiences to enhance the rehabilitation process of stroke survivors: A scoping review

Abstract

Stroke affects millions globally, resulting in physical impairments such as paralysis, speech challenges, and cognitive deficits like memory loss. Rehabilitation plays a vital role in recovery, helping regain lost functions, and achieve greater independence, facilitating reintegration into daily life. Despite this, rehabilitation programs rely on standardized approaches that fail to accommodate the unique needs and goals of individual stroke survivors. This lack of personalization can lead to frustration, loss of motivation, and reduced engagement, ultimately hindering recovery and slowing progress. One possible approach to help overcome these challenges is eXtended Reality (XR), offering immersive, adaptable virtual environments. XR enables the creation of dynamic and customizable exercises tailored to the specific needs, abilities, and preferences of each individual. These experiences can be interactive and engaging, improving motivation and fostering active participation compared to traditional methods. XR also allows for real-time tracking and feedback, making the process both more effective and enjoyable. This work contributes to the field by presenting a scoping review on personalized XR experiences for stroke rehabilitation, resulting from an analysis of 39 publications within the SCOPUS database covering the period from 2020 to 2024. The review provides insights into trends, advancements, and challenges, identifying opportunities for future development in this area. By consolidating knowledge in this field, we aim to help guide the development of personalized XR solutions, ultimately improving rehabilitation outcomes and quality of life for stroke survivors and their caregivers.