A Mixed Reality Application to Help Impaired People Rehabilitate Outside Clinical Environments

Michele Mazzamuto, Francesco Ragusa, Antonino Furnari, Irene D'Ambra, Antonia Guarriera, Armando Sorbello, Giovanni Maria Farinella

Abstract: Performing daily tasks can pose significant challenges for individuals with disabilities, affecting their independence and their ability to participate in routine activities. Traditional rehabilitation methods, typically conducted in medical facilities, can become tedious over time, potentially diminishing the autonomy of patients. This lays the foundation for developing innovative rehabilitation's strategies with the aim to facilitate daily life for people with disabilities in non-clinical environments. In this work, we present “Spesa Abile”, a wearable application able to assist people with disabilities in the context of supermarkets. “Spesa Abile” aims to help users to navigate supermarkets independently or with partial assistance, wearing a wearable device equipped with Artificial Intelligence (AI), combined with Mixed Reality (MR) and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) strategies. This approach highlights the potential of computer vision algorithms and mixed reality technology in rehabilitation and inclusion practices, thereby improving the autonomy of people with disabilities.