Ad-hoc virtual communities for rehabilitation exercising

Some patients may have to stay at home, however they may need also some rehabilitation exercises. Sometimes this is not possible due to several constraints: distance, cost, availability, etc. Traditionally, rehabilitation sessions are performed individually or in groups in the same place. Studies have shown that group sessions can lead to better motivation and results. In this paper, we propose a system that allows rehabilitation sessions, within a distributed group of people, under the computer-assisted supervision of a coach. The system makes use of wearable technologies, web applications and pervasive computing. Group awareness and self-awareness are enhanced for better motivation and results.