MetaRehabVerse: The Great Opportunity to Put the Person’s Functioning and Participation at the Center of Healthcare

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The metaverse refers to a digital realm accessible via internet connections using virtual reality and augmented reality glasses for promoting a new era of social rehabilitation. It represents the next-generation mobile computing platform expected to see widespread utilization in the future. In the context of rehabilitation, the metaverse is envisioned as a novel approach to enhance the treatment of human functioning exploiting the "synchronized brains" potential exacerbated by social interactions in virtual scenarios. RESULTS: The metaverse emerges as an ideal domain for adapting the principles of the-International Classification of Functioning. Its intrinsic capacity to simulate interactions within virtual environments shared by multi-users, while providing a profound sense of presence and comprehensive perception, should facilitate learning and experiential understanding. Technical and conceptual aspects are currently under definition, including the interplay with artificial intelligence, definition of social metrics performance, and the utilization of blockchain technology for economic purposes. CONCLUSION: Building upon these foundations, this paper explores potential areas of metaverse applications in rehabilitation and examines how they may facilitate the pillars outlined in the World Health Organization's Rehabilitation 2030 call for action.

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