Applying a Virtual Art Therapy System Based on the Michelangelo Effect in Patients with Spinal Cord Injury
Background: Serious videogames have already demonstrated their positive impact on rehabilitation and of particular interest is the virtual reality (VR) technology. This immersive technology has been used in this study to create a neuroaesthetic experience based on the Michelangelo effect for the reh...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-07-01
|
| Series: | Sensors |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/13/4173 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849319968637714432 |
|---|---|
| author | Michela Franzò Sara De Angelis Marco Iosa Gaetano Tieri Giorgia Corsini Giovanni Generoso Cellupica Valentina Loi Fabiano Bini Franco Marinozzi Giorgio Scivoletto Federica Tamburella |
| author_facet | Michela Franzò Sara De Angelis Marco Iosa Gaetano Tieri Giorgia Corsini Giovanni Generoso Cellupica Valentina Loi Fabiano Bini Franco Marinozzi Giorgio Scivoletto Federica Tamburella |
| author_sort | Michela Franzò |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Serious videogames have already demonstrated their positive impact on rehabilitation and of particular interest is the virtual reality (VR) technology. This immersive technology has been used in this study to create a neuroaesthetic experience based on the Michelangelo effect for the rehabilitation of patients with spinal cord injury. The aim of this study was to test the usability of a system for virtual art therapy and its capacity to assess patients’ deficits performances. Methods: A VR headset was worn by the participants who experienced a painting simulation of famous artworks (artistic stimuli) against a coloring canvas (non-artistic stimuli). The trajectories of the hand were studied to obtain different kinematic and spectral parameters to evaluate the user performances. A total of 13 healthy subjects and 13 patients with spinal cord injury participated in this study. Results: Significative differences were obtained for most of the parameters between the two groups, except for the normalized jerk and energy of the spectrum. Analysis in the frequency domain showed that both groups preferred horizontal movements for painting the canvas. The NASA and USEQ scores reported a comfortable and user-friendly system according to the patients’ point of view. Conclusions: The system can be a usable tool, the rehabilitative efficacy of which should be tested in patients with spinal cord injury. The kinematic and spectral parameters would allow for the evaluation of the performances alongside the clinical scales, distinguish pathological and physiological performances. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d7e12d64d73d4cdc8f01fc2eca9114ac |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1424-8220 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sensors |
| spelling | doaj-art-d7e12d64d73d4cdc8f01fc2eca9114ac2025-08-20T03:50:16ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202025-07-012513417310.3390/s25134173Applying a Virtual Art Therapy System Based on the Michelangelo Effect in Patients with Spinal Cord InjuryMichela Franzò0Sara De Angelis1Marco Iosa2Gaetano Tieri3Giorgia Corsini4Giovanni Generoso Cellupica5Valentina Loi6Fabiano Bini7Franco Marinozzi8Giorgio Scivoletto9Federica Tamburella10Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, ItalyIRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00179 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, ItalyIRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00179 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, ItalyIRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00179 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, ItalyIRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00179 Rome, ItalyIRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00179 Rome, ItalyBackground: Serious videogames have already demonstrated their positive impact on rehabilitation and of particular interest is the virtual reality (VR) technology. This immersive technology has been used in this study to create a neuroaesthetic experience based on the Michelangelo effect for the rehabilitation of patients with spinal cord injury. The aim of this study was to test the usability of a system for virtual art therapy and its capacity to assess patients’ deficits performances. Methods: A VR headset was worn by the participants who experienced a painting simulation of famous artworks (artistic stimuli) against a coloring canvas (non-artistic stimuli). The trajectories of the hand were studied to obtain different kinematic and spectral parameters to evaluate the user performances. A total of 13 healthy subjects and 13 patients with spinal cord injury participated in this study. Results: Significative differences were obtained for most of the parameters between the two groups, except for the normalized jerk and energy of the spectrum. Analysis in the frequency domain showed that both groups preferred horizontal movements for painting the canvas. The NASA and USEQ scores reported a comfortable and user-friendly system according to the patients’ point of view. Conclusions: The system can be a usable tool, the rehabilitative efficacy of which should be tested in patients with spinal cord injury. The kinematic and spectral parameters would allow for the evaluation of the performances alongside the clinical scales, distinguish pathological and physiological performances.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/13/4173neuroaestheticvirtual realityneurorehabilitationart therapy |
| spellingShingle | Michela Franzò Sara De Angelis Marco Iosa Gaetano Tieri Giorgia Corsini Giovanni Generoso Cellupica Valentina Loi Fabiano Bini Franco Marinozzi Giorgio Scivoletto Federica Tamburella Applying a Virtual Art Therapy System Based on the Michelangelo Effect in Patients with Spinal Cord Injury Sensors neuroaesthetic virtual reality neurorehabilitation art therapy |
| title | Applying a Virtual Art Therapy System Based on the Michelangelo Effect in Patients with Spinal Cord Injury |
| title_full | Applying a Virtual Art Therapy System Based on the Michelangelo Effect in Patients with Spinal Cord Injury |
| title_fullStr | Applying a Virtual Art Therapy System Based on the Michelangelo Effect in Patients with Spinal Cord Injury |
| title_full_unstemmed | Applying a Virtual Art Therapy System Based on the Michelangelo Effect in Patients with Spinal Cord Injury |
| title_short | Applying a Virtual Art Therapy System Based on the Michelangelo Effect in Patients with Spinal Cord Injury |
| title_sort | applying a virtual art therapy system based on the michelangelo effect in patients with spinal cord injury |
| topic | neuroaesthetic virtual reality neurorehabilitation art therapy |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/13/4173 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT michelafranzo applyingavirtualarttherapysystembasedonthemichelangeloeffectinpatientswithspinalcordinjury AT saradeangelis applyingavirtualarttherapysystembasedonthemichelangeloeffectinpatientswithspinalcordinjury AT marcoiosa applyingavirtualarttherapysystembasedonthemichelangeloeffectinpatientswithspinalcordinjury AT gaetanotieri applyingavirtualarttherapysystembasedonthemichelangeloeffectinpatientswithspinalcordinjury AT giorgiacorsini applyingavirtualarttherapysystembasedonthemichelangeloeffectinpatientswithspinalcordinjury AT giovannigenerosocellupica applyingavirtualarttherapysystembasedonthemichelangeloeffectinpatientswithspinalcordinjury AT valentinaloi applyingavirtualarttherapysystembasedonthemichelangeloeffectinpatientswithspinalcordinjury AT fabianobini applyingavirtualarttherapysystembasedonthemichelangeloeffectinpatientswithspinalcordinjury AT francomarinozzi applyingavirtualarttherapysystembasedonthemichelangeloeffectinpatientswithspinalcordinjury AT giorgioscivoletto applyingavirtualarttherapysystembasedonthemichelangeloeffectinpatientswithspinalcordinjury AT federicatamburella applyingavirtualarttherapysystembasedonthemichelangeloeffectinpatientswithspinalcordinjury |