Minigames offer adapted ‘slow fun’

Digital games for physical therapy: fulfilling the need for calibration and adaptation

Guerts, L., Vanden Abeele, V., Husson, J., Windey, F., Van Overveldt, M., Annema, J-H. & Desmet, S. Proceedings of the fifth international conference on Tangible, embedded, and embodied interaction, 117-124 doi>10.1145/1935701.1935725

Link to abstract and references portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=1935725

There has been a move from joystick game controllers to a variety of controllers; from fine motor control to whole body movements, creating an opportunity for people with limited fine motor control to play video games. This paper looks at mapping controllers (calibration) and altering game settings (adaptation) to make games available to people with spasticity. Video games used as therapy tools should be adaptable to the capabilities (and potential) of the player and responsive to the goals defined by the therapist. The authors define calibration: “the fit of the game to the patient”, and adaptability: “game mechanics such as speed and accuracy should be easily adjustable and designed to accommodate [for] a wide range skills”.

After evaluating currently available video games, they discover that the relationship between game actions and ‘correct’ therapy movements (mapping) is insufficient to accommodate their test sample of game players with spasticity.

The authors develop four minigames that offer ‘slow fun’ for people with limited motor control to maintain range, increase strength, and increase coordination. The games variably use arm movement, standing balance, head movements and seated weight shifting to activate webcam, Wii remote, and balance board controllers. The sensitivity of the input devices were sufficient both for these players and for these applications. “It is important however that the game parameters can be adjusted to the players skills and development goals”.

Link to conference TEI '11