Vera Fung

The focus of Fung’s research is to explore the role of active video gaming and virtual reality in rehabilitation. Since the onset of her involvement with research at St. John’s Rehab in 2007, she has completed studies that investigate clinician perspectives regarding the use of Nintendo Wii in rehabilitation and the use of Nintendo Wii Fit in outpatients after total knee replacement.

Fung is the primary investigator of a project that explores the phenomenon of presence in adults with disabilities while playing Nintendo Wii, Xbox Kinect and gesture-based virtual reality. She is also an active contributor to the student research component of the masters of physical therapy program at the University of Toronto, advising on studies that investigate learning strategy effects on motor skill acquisition using Nintendo Wii, and investigating movement strategies used when playing active video game systems.

The results have been presented and displayed at conferences for the International Society of Burn Injuries, American Burn Association, Ontario Physiotherapy Association, Canadian Physiotherapy Association, GTA Rehab Network, American Congress of Physical Medicine and World Confederation of Physical Therapy.

Education

• B.Sc. (Hons), 2003, kinesiology and health sciences, York University, Canada
• M.Sc.PT, 2005, physical therapy, University of Toronto, Canada

Appointments and Affiliations

• Affiliate scientist, Evaluative Clinical Sciences, St. John’s Rehab Research Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute
• Physiotherapist, St. John’s Rehab Program, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
• Instructor, University of Toronto