Motion sensing video games have a certain appeal to physical and occupational therapists, but could be configured to serve the therapist and client better. This paper explores the use of video games for theraputic purposes from the perspective of the therapist. Therapeutic video games should be quick to start, should pause to allow the therapist to accommodate the client and should support store performance data.
The methodology consisted of both contextual inquiry (observing therapists and clients during therapy to organise observations into focus points) and workshops (to elicit feedback from therapists) to identify game characteristics that could be improved. The therapists were 11 physical and seven occupational therapists; clients were from two clinics for children with cerebral palsy; a clinic for adults with multiple sclerosis, and a centre that organized leisure activities for people with mental and physical impairments.
Findings
- Starting and calibrating the game should be quick and as straightforward as possible.
- On-screen instructions should be able to be skipped.
- Player-specific settings should be stored in profiles and automatically retrieved.
- Pausing play without exiting the game should be available to change settings; to position, encourage or instruct the client.
- Games should store performance data.
Link to article abstract
portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=1823828