The SimAction project aimed at developing new methods for motor retraining based on mechanisms of coupling between action perception and action execution. The main objective was to create tools for observational training that could complement conventional methods of physical rehabilitation. The devices developed should first be oriented towards an elderly population. This project allowed collaboration between movement physiologists, clinicians, research teams specialized in computer science, image processing, cognitive sciences and ergonomics, as well as two industrial partners. Throughout this project, we evaluated the abilities for implicit motor simulation associated with movement observation in an elderly population. We recorded a deterioration of these abilities with ageing, suggesting that perceptual retraining could be beneficial. Further, we measured a positive impact of perceptual training on motor performances, considering, two daily life movements essential to people's autonomy: walking and sit-to-stand/back-to-sit/sit-to-stand transfers. Finally, the integration of virtual reality technologies could allow an improvement of perceptual retraining by optimizing interaction between patient and virtual avatar/professor, and enabling a precise measure of motor progresses during the learning process. (C) 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.