An Open-Source, Wheelchair Accessible and Immersive Driving Simulator for Training People with Spinal Cord Injury

Independence is one of the greatest achievements for people with Spinal Cord Injury (SCI). Indeed, mobility represents a big challenge that needs to be addressed, also considering that road accidents are frequently the cause of SCI. Immersive Virtual Reality (VR) combined with a driving simulator may provide a realistic experience, helping users to relearn driving and overcome the traumatic event. The aim of this project was to implement a wheelchair accessible, immersive driving simulator for the training and assessment of SCI people. Here we present a proof of concept of an open-source, VR compatible, driving simulator. The system combines a VR headset with an adaptive driving controller and a VR scenario. Starting from CARLA, an open simulator for autonomous driving, we created driving scenarios designed to fit the needs of SCI rehabilitation. Also, we defined future developments required to create a device usable for the assessment of cognitive and motor abilities.