Force Defense Videogame

Is a rehabilitation videogame created to provide interactive sessions of physical rehabilitation in upper limbs. The game uses a wearable bracelet as an interface to encourage players to perform multiple controlled isometric contractions while detecting the player's fatigue levels and adapting accordingly. The goal of the game is to survive the attacks of an enemy monster that is constantly shooting acid balls. While creating a protection field through controlled isometric contractions, players can reject their enemy attacks and attack back as a response

The Videogame Design

Health Care requirements

Complementary instead of alternative
The relevance of fatigue in rehabilitation processes
Isometric instead of isotonic contractions
Therapy quantification and calibration stage

Iterative Game Design

State of the art.
Brain Storming sessions
Elemental tetrad: Game Mechanics, Aesthetics, Story and Technology
Storyboarding

Physiological Adaptation

By using physiological computing principles, the biocybernetic loop construct allows the integration of an artificial software intelligence layer: physiological awareness. In our case, we are interested in detecting fatigue levels of players unobtrusively to, therefore, adapt game variables to maximize physical performance. Thus, the purpose of the biocybernetic loop is two-fold: i) control the users’ contraction levels by influencing players to exert at the recommended levels and ii) react to the users’ fatigue states to minimize its impact on the game performance.

Testing Virtual Enviroments

The previous game was evaluated to establish how the virtual environment influences users and find the best scenario to generate adherence and motivation to rehabilitation therapies. The experimental protocol considered two different visualization modalities: the non-immersive, which uses conventional screens to display the game and the immersive condition, which utilizes novel VR headsets as an interaction medium. The comparison between the modalities was made in terms of game variables, muscle fatigue perceived, system usability and game experience.

The Validation

We test the feasibility of using the interactive system (videogame + computer physiology system) as a complement to a physical rehabilitation program. The pilot study goal was to evaluate the impact of the combined rehabilitation program using the FD videogame on patients with Monoparesis/Hemiparesis in the upper limb according to:

- The game experience (e.g., positive versus negative feelings, game performance)
- The perceived fatigue levels during the interaction with the videogame
- The functionality of the elbow and shoulder joint.

A rehabilitation program combining normal exercise routines (swimming routines in this case) with training using the FD videogame was designed for this pilot study.

Social Impact

After finishing the pilot study, the physiotherapist kept using the proposed rehabilitation therapy using the videogame during 2019. They used Force Defense as part of the rehabilitation process of patients who attend the rehabilitation center.

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