School of Creative Technologies (CT)

I worked as a professional chiropractor before gaining my BSc, and joined the university in 2005. I now lecture in the Application of Virtual Reality and recently completed a PhD in Virtual Reality for Walking Rehabilitation. My main research focus is on the application of VR for rehabilitation of walking, and I am working in collaboration with Professor Maureen Simmonds at McGill University, Montreal.

Current Research^{[Back to top]}

Powell, W. Virtual Reality for Walking Rehabilitation. Ph.D. thesis. University of Portsmouth

This project involves evaluating the way people interact with Virtual Reality whilst walking on a treadmill.  The research has looked at the effect of altering rates of visual flow on movement, the effect of audio cues on movement, a comparison of actual and perceived speeds, and of the differential effects on audio and visual cues on people with and without pain.

In addition I am engaged in the following projects:
Comparison of two different computer-based input devices for evaluation of Bradykinesia in Parkinsons disease.
This study is a pilot study to evaluate a novel approach to assessing movement speed in Parkinson's disease.  It will involve evaluation of movement speed and accuracy with two different computer input devices.

Comparing recall of learning in a normal study room and a personal media pod 
This is a pilot study, in collaboration with the Oculas group, to evaluate if there is a difference in factual recall of material delivered by video in a normal quiet study environment compared to an enclosed media pod (http://www.ovei.co.uk/). The study will involve delivery of a short educational video, followed by a number of questions relating to the material in the video.

Evaluation of a novel approach to navigation in a virtual world.  This study is part of a series of projects  informing the design of applications for Rehabilitation in Virtual Reality, utilising the VR Visualisation Centre.  We have a treadmill linked to large-screen virtual reality and are comparing the usability of two different devices for steering in the virtual worlds. 

I am currently working on a project proposal with Motek Medical (Amsterdam) and Prof Maureen Simmonds (Curtin University, Perth, Australia) which will involve developing a novel Virtual Reality interface for disabled patients.

Publications

Publications since 2008

Articles^{[Back to top]}

Powell, W., & Simmonds, M. (2008). Editorial. Virtual reality: a healthy perspective. International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation, 15(11), 480-481.

Powell, W. A., Stevens, B., Hand, S. & Simmonds, M. (2007). Software gearing in a virtual environment: the effect on perception of optic flow. In B. K. Wiederhold, G. Riva & S. Bouchard (Eds.), Annual Review of Cybertherapy and Telemedicine, 5: Advanced technologies in the behavioral, social and neurosciences (pp. 99-106). Washington DC: Interactive media institute.

Powell, W., Hand, S., Stevens, B., & Simmonds, M. J. (2006). Optic flow with a stereoscopic display: sustained influence on speed of locomotion. In B. K. Wiederhold, G. Riva & S. Bouchard (Eds.), Annual review of cybertherapy and telemedicine, 4: Advanced technologies in the behavioral, social and neurosciences (pp. 73-78). San Diego: Interactive Media Institute.

Conference Papers (unpublished)^{[Back to top]}

Powell, W. (2008). Virtually walking? Developing exertion interfaces for locomotor rehabilitation. At CHI, Florence, Italy.

Powell, W. A., Stevens, B., Hand, S. & Simmonds, M. J. (2008). The influence of visual and auditory cues on pain and movement in a treadmill-mediated virtual environment.  Paper presented at Pain, Mind and Movement II - An Official Satellite Symposium of the XIIth World Congress on Pain., Dublin, Ireland.