Walking evaluation support method, walking evaluation support device and walking evaluation support program

Abstract

To provide a walking evaluation support method, a walking evaluation support device and a walking evaluation support program capable of confirming motor symptoms from multiple angles.SOLUTION: A walking evaluation support method causes a computer to: acquire and record data corresponding to the walking motion of a subject wearing a display device that displays a virtual reality (VR) environment simulating a living environment via a sensor; and reproduce walking motion corresponding to the data through the motion of an avatar in a three-dimensional space corresponding to the virtual reality environment in which a user can change his / her point of sight, in order to allow the user to evaluate the subject's walking motion.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a gait assessment support method, a gait assessment support device, and a gait assessment support program. [Background technology]

[0002] Traditionally, assessment of gait disorders has been performed by visual examination by a doctor, so the validity of the assessment depends on the doctor's experience, making it difficult to assess objectively.

[0003] Also, a rehabilitation system for higher brain dysfunction that uses virtual reality has been proposed (Patent Document 1). This system includes an image processing device that runs an application for presenting rehabilitation problems to a patient using images that use virtual reality, augmented reality, or mixed reality, and stores a history of the patient solving the problems as rehabilitation history information, a therapist terminal that receives the rehabilitation history information from the image processing device, a server that stores the rehabilitation history information sent from the therapist terminal, and a doctor terminal that receives the rehabilitation history information from the server and displays the progress of the patient's rehabilitation based on the rehabilitation history information. Furthermore, in the case of patients with osteoarthritis of the hip joint, a technology has been proposed in which the movements of the patient's left and right acromions, the left and right iliac spines, and head movement are captured in images captured by a DV camera, and based on the captured movement data, images showing the movement of the patient's trunk axis, which is the line connecting the left and right acromions, the anterior pelvic axis, which is the line connecting the left and right anterior superior iliac spines, the posterior pelvic axis, which is the line connecting the left and right posterior superior iliac spines, and head movement are edited and displayed on a display (Patent Document 2).This is said to make it possible to clearly show patients with osteoarthritis of the hip joint the characteristics of their own walking style when viewed as movements. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6593852 [Patent Document 2] International Publication No. 2005 / 096939 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] When video is taken with a video camera, it can be difficult to evaluate the video even when reviewing it depending on the position of the camera and the subject. Therefore, the purpose of this technology is to provide a technology for checking motor symptoms from multiple angles. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, the following measures are adopted. Walking behavior of subjects in a virtual reality (VR) environment that mimics a living environment Acquiring and recording data according to the above through a sensor; reproducing the walking motion according to the data by the movement of an avatar in a three-dimensional space corresponding to the virtual reality environment, configured so that a user can change a viewpoint to evaluate the walking motion of the subject; A gait assessment support method performed by a computer. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the disclosed technology, it is possible to provide a technology for checking motor symptoms from multiple angles. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a system configuration. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the VR space. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the reproduction of a movement by an avatar. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of the device configuration of the system. [Figure 5]FIG. 5 is a process flow diagram showing an example of evaluation support processing executed by the system. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the definition of the VR space. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a graph showing the movements of a subject. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a graph showing the movements of a subject. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. The configurations of the embodiments are examples, and the configuration of the invention is not limited to the specific configurations of the disclosed embodiments. When implementing the invention, specific configurations according to the embodiments may be appropriately adopted.

[0010] [Embodiment] Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the system configuration. The system 10 in Fig. 1 includes a medical institution device 1, which is a computer used by a doctor or the like, and a VR (Virtual Reality) device worn by a subject. The VR device 2 includes a head mounted display (HMD) for displaying a space and a sensor for detecting the subject's movements. The VR device 2 may further include a motion capture system 3 for recording the subject's movements.

[0011] The medical institution device 1 is a computer, and outputs, for example, information defining a VR space to the VR device 2. The VR device 2 is also a computer, and, for example, renders the VR space and displays it on a display, and detects the movements of the subject wearing the VR device 2 using a sensor and updates the display according to the detected movements. The VR device 2 also outputs information representing the movements of the subject to the medical institution device 1. Note that the processing shared by the medical institution device 1 and the VR device 2 is just an example, and information defining the VR space may be stored on the VR device 2 side. Alternatively, the medical institution device 1 may render the VR space based on sensing data output by a sensor of the VR device 2, and the VR device 2 may function as a thin client that only displays the data. The medical institution device 1 may also acquire information representing the movements of the subject from a motion capture system 3.

[0012] These components may be connected to each other so that they can communicate with each other via wired or wireless means, or may be connected via a network. Furthermore, they may be capable of transmitting and receiving data via a recording medium such as a flash memory. The network may be, for example, an IP (Internet Protocol) network. The network 5 includes a telephone network (fixed telephone network or mobile communication network), an ad hoc network, an intranet, a VPN (Virtual Private Network), a LAN (Local Area Network), a wireless LAN, a WLAN, etc. It may be an AN (Wide Area Network) or the Internet.

[0013] In one aspect of this technology, the VR device 2 displays an environment different from the examination room as a VR space, allowing the movement of the subject to be observed in the VR space. Conventionally, when examining movement disorders such as gait disorders, there has been a discrepancy between the patient's symptoms in the examination room and in real life. That is, unlike the examination room, the real-life environment contains narrow corridors, doors and various obstacles, dark places, etc. In such an environment, gait disorders can worsen, causing, for example, freezing of gait, which can lead to falls. This is an important clinical finding, but is difficult to evaluate in the examination room. Therefore, the system according to this embodiment induces motor dysfunction, including freezing of gait, so that movements such as walking can be evaluated in a VR space. Note that the VR space is preferably one that mimics the living environment of the subject, for example, in their real life, but is not particularly limited as long as it makes the symptoms of motor dysfunction more likely to appear.

[0014] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a VR space. (A) to (C) in FIG. 2 show an example of a VR space displayed on the display of the VR device 2. That is, this is an example of the VR space as seen from the subject's perspective. (A) to (C) in FIG. 2 virtually reproduce a corridor. The VR space shown in (A) in FIG. 2 includes a passage formed by left and right wall surfaces 241 and a floor surface 242, and a door 243 is located at the front end of the passage. A goal 244 is set on the floor surface 242 at the end of the passage, just before the door 243. It is preferable that the width of the passage can be set to any size. The VR space shown in (B) in FIG. 2 further includes two obstacles 245 located in the VR space shown in (A) above. The obstacles 245 have the appearance of cardboard boxes, and the two obstacles 245 are stacked one on top of the other, aligned approximately parallel to the wall surface 241. The VR space shown in (C) in FIG. 2 differs from the VR space shown in (B) above in the orientation of the obstacles 245. 2C, the two obstacles 245 are oriented in different directions and are stacked one on top of the other in a disorderly manner, with each obstacle oriented at an angle relative to the wall surface 241. It is preferable that the obstacles 245 can be placed in any position and in any orientation within the passage.

[0015] In the example of FIG. 2, the subject walks from a predetermined starting point to a goal 244 in the VR space. That is, while the subject wearing the VR device 2 walks in a real space such as an examination room, data according to the subject's movements is acquired via sensors, and the VR device 2 updates the display of the VR space according to the acquired data. Note that the VR device 2 is assumed to be capable of detecting the subject's movement due to walking using a sensor with 6 DoF (Degree of Freedom) or more, for example. Furthermore, by having the subject pass between the wall 241 and the obstacle 245 in the VR space, the subject's gait impairment, such as freezing, is induced. The gait impairment worsens when the distance between the wall 241 and the obstacle 245 is small. In addition to being able to change the presence or absence of the obstacle 245 and the distance between the wall 241 and the obstacle 245, the VR space also allows for the obstacle 245 to be arranged randomly. In other words, when the obstacles are arranged randomly, the information processing load related to the subject's visuospatial cognition increases compared to when the obstacles are arranged in an orderly fashion, which is expected to further exacerbate, for example, the gait impairment. This is based on the pathological hypothesis of motor perceptual impairment, which posits that abnormal processing in the sensory center influences motor symptoms in neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease. In this way, in this embodiment, creating a virtual environment different from the examination room makes it easier to observe the subject's symptoms.

[0016] In another aspect of the present technology, the medical institution device 1 reproduces the subject's movements on an avatar in a virtual three-dimensional space. Conventionally, findings of motor dysfunction are not only recorded in written form in a medical chart but also saved as video footage captured by a video camera. The saved footage can be evaluated by a doctor other than the examining physician. The saved footage also allows for comparison of the patient's condition before and after treatment. However, the relative positions of the video camera and the patient can make evaluation difficult. Therefore, the system according to the present embodiment reproduces the subject's movements on an avatar, enabling the patient's symptoms to be observed from multiple perspectives. The term "avatar" refers to a three-dimensional humanoid model that reproduces the subject's movements in a three-dimensional space. The subject's movements may be, for example, movements in the VR space described above, but may also be walking movements recorded by a motion capture system 3 in an examination room by a patient not wearing the VR device 2.

[0017] FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the reproduction of the movements of an avatar. The movements of an avatar are reproduced in the medical institution device 1 shown in FIG. 1. In this case, for example, a motion key It is preferable that the capture system 3 records the subject's movements of almost the entire body. The user interface (UI) 14 in FIG. 3 displays images of a virtual three-dimensional space viewed from two viewpoints. The image 141 shown on the left side of FIG. 3 is a bird's-eye view of the three-dimensional space from diagonally above. The three-dimensional space corresponds to the VR space shown in FIG. 2(C). That is, the three-dimensional space includes a passage formed by left and right walls 241 and a floor 242. Also, as shown in image 141 in FIG. 3, a start point 246 is set on one side of the passage, and an avatar 247 for replaying the recorded subject's movements is displayed at the start point 246. Two obstacles 245 are randomly placed along the passage. The viewpoint in the three-dimensional space can be set at any position. For example, in addition to a bird's-eye view from above, a desired viewpoint may be selected from multiple preset viewpoints, such as a viewpoint that displays the subject from the start point 246 side of the passage, the goal 244 side, or the wall 241 side. Furthermore, image 142 shown on the right side of Figure 3 is an image of a three-dimensional space viewed from the viewpoint of an avatar 247. That is, image 142 reproduces where the subject was looking while walking, and a door 243 and a goal 244 are arranged, similar to the VR environment shown in Figure 2. The viewpoint of the avatar (i.e., the subject) makes it possible to verify the relationship with visual-spatial cognitive disorders, etc. Note that the same reference numerals are used for components corresponding to image 141 and Figure 2, and their explanations will be omitted. Furthermore, the subject's gaze direction can be roughly reproduced using the head tracking function of the VR device 2, but information on the subject's gaze point may also be acquired using an eye tracker while the subject is walking, and displayed on image 142. In this way, the recorded movements of the subject can be displayed from multiple viewpoints.

[0018] [Device configuration] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the device configuration of the system. The medical institution device 1 is a computer such as a PC (Personal Computer) or a server. The medical institution device 1 includes a processor 11 and The processor 11 includes a storage device 12, a communication interface (IF) 13, and a user interface (UI) 14. The processor 11 is an arithmetic unit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The processor 12 is a computing device that executes programs to perform various processes according to the present embodiment. The storage device 12 is, for example, a main storage device such as a random access memory (RAM) or a read-only memory (ROM), and an auxiliary storage device (secondary storage device) such as a hard-disk drive (HDD), a solid-state drive (SSD), or a flash memory. The main storage device temporarily stores programs read by the processor and secures a working area for the processor. The auxiliary storage device stores programs executed by the processor and data exchanged with other devices. The communication IF 13 is, for example, a network adapter or a communication module that communicates wired or wirelessly and performs data communication based on a predetermined protocol. The UI 14 is, for example, a user interface such as a touch panel, a keyboard, a pointing device, a microphone, a speaker, and a camera. The UI 14 accepts user operations and outputs information to the user.

[0019] The VR device 2 is a computer such as a VR headset or VR goggles. The VR headset may be equipped with an HMD and may connect to another computer to display VR content, or may be capable of displaying VR content stand-alone. The VR goggles may function as an HMD by displaying VR content on a smartphone or the like worn by the user. The VR device 2 includes a processor 21, a storage device 22, a communication interface (IF) 23, a UI 24, and a sensor 25. The processor 21, the storage device 22, and the communication IF 23 are generally similar to the processor 11, the storage device 12, and the communication IF 13, respectively. In this embodiment, the processor 21 acquires information defining the VR space from the medical institution device 1, renders it, and displays it on a display that is the UI 24. The UI 24 includes a display. The display and the VR device 2 may be, for example, a device that uses binocular parallax for a two-lens system to display the VR space three-dimensionally, or a device that uses a monocular (single-lens) system to display the VR space two-dimensionally. The sensor 2 5 is, for example, an inertial measurement unit (IMU), and 3 The IMU may further include a three-axis acceleration sensor and a three-axis gyro sensor.

[0020] The motion capture system 3 is, for example, an inertial wearable motion capture system that measures acceleration and angular velocity at multiple locations on the subject's body. The motion capture system 3 includes a processor 31, a communication interface (IF) 32, and a sensor 33. The processor 31 and the communication IF 32 are generally similar to the processor 11 and the communication IF 13, respectively. The processor 31 transmits information representing the subject's movements measured by the sensor 33 to the medical institution device 1 via the communication IF 32. The sensor 33 includes, for example, multiple IMUs, each equipped with a three-axis acceleration sensor and a three-axis gyro sensor. The IMU may also include a three-axis geomagnetic sensor. The motion capture system 3 may measure the subject's movements using a so-called optical method or other methods.

[0021] [Evaluation support processing] 5 is a process flow diagram showing an example of an evaluation support process executed by the system. The evaluation support process is started by an operation by an evaluator in an examination room or the like when examining a patient for movement disorders, for example.

[0022] First, the processor 11 of the medical institution device 1 transmits information defining the VR space to the VR device 2 (FIG. 5: S1). The information defining the VR space is, for example, a three-dimensional model for displaying a corridor. It is assumed that the information defining the VR space is set in advance by the user.

[0023] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the definition of a VR space. The upper part of FIG. 6 shows an example of a table storing the definition of a VR space. The table includes attributes such as the length of the passageway d1, the width of the entire passageway w1, the distance d2 from the starting point to the obstacle, the distance d3 from the wall farthest from the obstacle to the obstacle or the passable passageway width w2, and the angle θ between the obstacle and a virtual plane perpendicular to the wall. These parameters are set for each of two obstacles. The obstacle is, for example, a cardboard box of a predetermined size. However, the type of obstacle other than a cardboard box and the size of the obstacle may also be defined. Furthermore, when both w2 and d3 are set, the size of the obstacle may be changed according to w1, w2, and d3. Furthermore, the number of obstacles is not limited to two and may be zero, one, or three or more. Information indicating the size of each obstacle is registered in the field of each attribute of such a table.

[0024] The lower part of FIG. 6 is a plan view showing an example of a VR space. For example, the length d1 of the passage is the distance from the start point 246 to the goal 244, and is, for example, about 3 meters. The distance d2 is the distance from the start point 246 to the obstacle 245, and is, for example, about 2 meters. The width w1 of the passage is the distance between two wall surfaces 241, and is, for example, about 1 meter. The distance d3 from the wall surface farther from the obstacle to the obstacle is, for example, the distance between the center of the obstacle 245 in the width direction of the passage (floor surface 242) and the wall surface 241 farther from the obstacle 245. The passable passage width w2 is the distance between the obstacle 245 and the wall surface 241 farther from the obstacle 245. The angle θ formed between the obstacle and a virtual plane perpendicular to the wall surface is the magnitude of the angle between the plane perpendicular to the wall surface 241 and the outline of the obstacle 245. In S1 of FIG. 5, information as shown in the upper part of FIG. 6 may be transmitted, or information representing a three-dimensional model as shown in the lower part of FIG. 6 may be transmitted.

[0025] Meanwhile, the processor 21 of the VR device 2 receives data from the medical institution device 1 and displays the VR space on the UI 24 (FIG. 5: S2). In this step, the VR space as shown in FIG. The subject wearing the VR device 2 walks from a predetermined starting point 246 to a goal 244 while viewing the image of the VR space.

[0026] Furthermore, the processor 21 of the VR device 2 acquires sensing data output by the sensor 25 (FIG. 5: S3) and updates the VR space displayed on the UI 24 based on the acquired data (FIG. 5: S4). That is, the VR device 2 achieves head tracking and position tracking using a three-axis acceleration sensor and a three-axis gyro sensor. Note that if the system 10 includes a motion capture system 3, the processor 31 of the motion capture system 3 also acquires sensing data from the sensor 33 in parallel and transmits it to the medical institution device 1 via, for example, the communication IF 32.

[0027] Then, the processor 21 of the VR device 2 determines whether to end the process (FIG. 5: S5). For example, when the subject reaches the goal 244 in the VR space, the processor 21 determines to end the process. When it is determined not to end the process (S5: NO), the process returns to S3 and the processor 21 repeats the process.

[0028] On the other hand, if it is determined in S5 that the processing is to be ended (S5: YES), the processor 21 of the VR device 2 transmits the sensing data to the medical institution device 1 via the communication IF 23 (FIG. 5: S6). Note that the processor 21 may be configured to transmit the sensing data sequentially while the subject is walking.

[0029] After S6, the processor 11 of the medical institution device 1 acquires the sensing data from the VR device 2 via the communication IF 13 and stores it in the storage device 12 (FIG. 5: S7). If the system 10 includes a motion capture system 3, the processor 11 also acquires sensing data from the motion capture system 3 as appropriate and stores it in the storage device 12.

[0030] The processor 11 of the medical institution device 1 also uses the acquired data to display information representing the subject's movements on the UI 14 (FIG. 5: S8). In this step, the sensing data measured by the sensor 25 of the VR device 2 may be displayed as a graph. If the system 10 includes a motion capture system 3, the sensing data measured by the sensor 33 of the motion capture system 3 may be displayed as the movements of an avatar in three-dimensional space.

[0031] 7 and 8 are diagrams showing examples of graphs depicting the movements of subjects. In the graph in FIG. 7, the horizontal axis represents distance and the vertical axis represents walking speed. A healthy young person (HC(Young)) walks at approximately the same speed from the starting point (0 m) to the goal (d1 m). A healthy elderly person (HC(Old)) has variations in walking speed, but reaches the goal without stopping. However, a Parkinson's disease patient (PD) stops walking around d2 m, where an obstacle is located. (A) in FIG. 8 shows a graph of a healthy subject. (B) in FIG. 8 shows a graph of a Parkinson's disease patient. In each graph in FIG. 8, the horizontal axis represents distance, and the vertical axis represents the height of the left and right feet and the elapsed time. In the example in FIG. 8, the healthy subject also walks at approximately the same speed. Furthermore, the height of the healthy subject's feet also indicates that they walk without stopping. On the other hand, the graph of the elapsed time for the Parkinson's disease patient shows that he stops for about 5 seconds at around d2m where the obstacle is located. Also, the foot height of the Parkinson's disease patient shows that he is unable to step forward at around d2m, and that he is freezing his gait.

[0032] The information output by the medical institution device 1 in S8 of Fig. 5 is displayed based on the distance traveled, making it easier to understand the subject's movements near the location where an obstacle is present. For example, information showing the subject's speed, the subject's stride, the subject's foot height, or changes in elapsed time relative to the distance traveled may be displayed. However, Figs. 7 and 8 are only examples of information showing the subject's movements. The information output by the medical institution device 1 is not limited to these. For example, a graph based on elapsed time rather than distance traveled may be output. The number of collisions between the subject and a wall 241 or obstacle 245 in the VR space, or the location of the collisions, may also be output. Recording collisions can aid in the evaluation of spatial cognitive ability. The variability (e.g., standard deviation) of the subject's walking speed, stride length, or foot height may also be calculated and output. The variability may reveal the possibility of rhythm formation disorders. At least one of the location and time when the subject stopped walking may also be output. This approach is expected to be clinically applicable as a highly accurate method for evaluating gait disorders. This will facilitate early detection of Parkinson's disease and the provision of appropriate treatments, leading to improved quality of Parkinson's disease care. In terms of drug discovery, it will improve the accuracy of treatment efficacy assessment, aiding in development. From a social perspective, the system allows medical professionals other than physicians to evaluate gait disorders, leading to work style reforms such as shortening physician working hours. Furthermore, the established system can be widely applied to neurological and orthopedic diseases that present with gait disorders other than Parkinson's disease.

[0033] Furthermore, in S8 of FIG. 5, when the subject's movements are displayed as avatar movements in a three-dimensional space, the processor 11 of the medical institution device 1 displays, for example, a screen such as that shown in FIG. 3 on the UI 14. The object arrangement in the three-dimensional space shown in FIG. 3 corresponds to the object arrangement in the VR environment shown in FIG. 2, so the user can understand the location and movements of the subject by viewing the avatar's movements. In the example of FIG. 3, the avatar's movements are simultaneously displayed from two different viewpoints, but they may be displayed from one viewpoint or three or more viewpoints. Furthermore, by allowing the viewpoint to be switched, blind spots such as shadows of obstacles can be eliminated. Furthermore, the transparency of the wall 241 and the obstacle 245 may be changeable. Since medical findings can be reconfirmed from various angles, the accuracy of evaluations by users such as doctors can be improved. Furthermore, using the avatar when explaining symptoms to a subject can help the subject understand the symptoms. Furthermore, the avatar allows the movements to be anonymized so that the subject's appearance is not revealed, which has the advantage of facilitating the use of video data of case studies.

[0034] Note that the processing flow diagram in FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram, and the order of the steps may be changed or the steps may be executed in parallel without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. Furthermore, information defining the VR space may be stored on the VR device 2 side, and the VR device 2 may operate standalone. Furthermore, sensing data output by the sensor of the VR device 2 may be transmitted to the medical institution device 1 each time it is acquired in S3. That is, the processing of S6 and S7 may be performed between S3 and S4. Furthermore, the medical institution device 1 may render a VR space based on the acquired sensing data and transmit it to the VR device 2. That is, the processing of S4 may be performed based on the data transmitted by the medical institution device 1.

[0035] The definition of the VR space shown in Fig. 6 is an example of a database, and is not limited to this data structure. For example, the location of an obstacle may be defined by the distance from the side wall closest to the obstacle to the obstacle, or the distance between the goal and the obstacle. Furthermore, the table may be properly normalized to store information separately in multiple tables, or may be denormalized to store additional information in a single table.

[0036] Furthermore, it is preferable that the VR space (VR environment) be one that simulates a living environment, but it is not necessary to reproduce an environment unique to each subject. Furthermore, it is not limited to examples that include corridors. A VR space that simulates a living environment may be, for example, a space with a door, gate, or some kind of obstacle, a relatively narrow space, a relatively dark space, or a combination of two or more of these elements. Even such a space may induce motor dysfunction in the subject.

[0037] 〔others〕 Although the embodiments have been described above, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and various modifications based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art are possible without departing from the spirit of the claims. For example, at least some of the functions of the medical institution device 1 may be distributed among multiple devices, or multiple devices may provide the same functions in parallel. Furthermore, a system may be provided that simply records the subject's movements using a 6DoF sensor or motion capture system, or that simply displays the recorded data as a graph or avatar's movements.

[0038] The present technology also includes a method and a computer program for executing the above-described processing, and a computer-readable recording medium having the program recorded thereon. The recording medium having the program recorded thereon enables the above-described processing by causing a computer to execute the program.

[0039] Here, a computer-readable recording medium refers to a recording medium that stores information such as data and programs electrically, magnetically, optically, mechanically, or chemically and can be read by a computer. Among such recording media, those that can be removed from a computer include flexible disks, magneto-optical disks, optical disks, magnetic tapes, memory cards, etc. Furthermore, recording media that are fixed to a computer include HDDs, SSDs, ROMs, etc. [Explanation of symbols]

[0040] 10: System 1: Medical institution device, 11: Processor, 12: Storage device, 13: Communication interface (IF), 14: User interface (UI) 2: VR device, 21: processor, 22: storage device, 23: communication interface (IF), 24: user interface (UI), 25: sensor 3: Motion capture system, 31: Processor, 32: Communication interface (IF), 33: Sensor

Claims

1. Wearing a display device that displays a virtual reality (VR) environment that mimics a living environment Acquiring and recording data corresponding to the walking movement of the subject via a sensor; reproducing the walking motion according to the data by the movement of an avatar in a three-dimensional space corresponding to the virtual reality environment, configured so that a user can change a viewpoint to evaluate the walking motion of the subject; A gait assessment support method performed by a computer.

2. Obstacles can be placed in the virtual reality environment and the three-dimensional space. The transparency of the obstacle can be changed in the three-dimensional space. The gait evaluation support method according to claim 1 .

3. the virtual reality environment and the three-dimensional space include a corridor; In the three-dimensional space, the transparency of the walls of the passage can be changed. The gait evaluation support method according to claim 1 .

4. The viewpoint can be changed to the viewpoint of the avatar in the three-dimensional space. The gait evaluation support method according to claim 1 .

5. The avatar's movements can be displayed from multiple different viewpoints simultaneously. The gait evaluation support method according to claim 1 .

6. The sensor is a sensor that realizes motion capture. The gait evaluation support method according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. Wearing a display device that displays a virtual reality (VR) environment that mimics a living environment Acquiring and recording data corresponding to the walking movement of the subject via a sensor; reproducing the walking motion according to the data by the movement of an avatar in a three-dimensional space corresponding to the virtual reality environment, configured so that a user can change a viewpoint to evaluate the walking motion of the subject; A gait assessment support device.

8. Wearing a display device that displays a virtual reality (VR) environment that mimics a living environment Acquiring and recording data corresponding to the walking movement of the subject via a sensor; reproducing the walking motion according to the data by the movement of an avatar in a three-dimensional space corresponding to the virtual reality environment, configured so that a user can change a viewpoint to evaluate the walking motion of the subject; A gait assessment support program that allows a computer to execute the above.

Images