Message from the General Co-Chairs

Rehabilitation is an exciting health area with increasing relevance to scientific achievements and advances for Healthcare and the Society in general. The Virtual Rehabilitation 2007 Conference, the 6th edition of the International Workshop on Virtual Rehabilitation, is intended as an international venue in which the most advanced and innovative technological applications can be proposed for this cutting-edge medical field. The present Conference has grown to three full days of meetings on topics such as Motor Rehabilitation through Virtual Technology, Rehabilitation Robotics, Novel Techniques in Virtual Rehabilitation and Cognitive Virtual Rehabilitation. We have made a particular effort to incorporate the viewpoint of the Italian Public Health System about the translational aspects of the innovative and technological research in the clinical practice of rehabilitation. At the Conference, we are proud to have the valuable contributions of four leading scientists: Emilio Bizzi, Pietro Morasso, Thomas Platz and Carlo Caltagirone who will inspire the audience with their addresses. Moreover, the 2007 Conference will again include exhibits of commercial companies with a significant presence in the rehabilitation market. The present CD Proceedings compile contributions of the keynote speakers, all podium and poster presentations by scientists from all over the world. The quality and breath of our conference would not have been possible without the support of our sponsors Hocoma Ag., GestureTek Inc., Khymeia Srl, Telecom Spa, BTS Bioengineering, Easytech Srl, Lilly Inc., Pragma Engineering, Teoresi & Quanser Inc., Mercury, Venetosalute, Celin Avio Srl and the Ordine dei Ministri degli Infermi – Camilliani. In addition we acknowledge the technical sponsorship of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. It is our hope that Virtual Rehabilitation 2007 Conference shall represent a significant reference point in increasing the knowledge of this relevant field and in stimulating further steps in the scientific research of rehabilitation. We thank you for your participation. Lamberto Piron, I.R.C.C.S. San Camillo, Venice, Italy Paolo Tonin, .R.C.C.S. San Camillo, Venice, Italy Mauro Dam, University of Padova, Padova, Italy General Co-Chairs Virtual Rehabilitation 2007 Conference