Resumen
In some respects, virtual reality (VR) has been a technology in search of an application. Recently much emphasis has been placed on the potential for the use of VR in medical contexts. In general, the attention and speculation have been concerned with either remote or augmented surgery and surgical training. Another potential use of VR in the medical industry that has received less attention is rehabilitation and treatment. Both surgery and therapy are worthy candidates for high-cost computer simulation, but there is an important distinction to be made about the information provided through such simulations. If the goal of VR is to enhance the therapeutic context, there is little point in re-creating the natural environment that the patient has access to. It may be effective to re-create aspects of the natural environment that a patient has lost access to or to transpose a particularly salient source of information to a context in which it would not normally arise. The incidence of stroke is steadily increasing in Europe and the U.S. Following a stroke, up to 60% of patients may exhibit attentional problems. Also, a large percentage of patients experience some loss of muscular control and the impairment of muscular sensation on the side opposite to the site of damage.