To study whether psychophysiological indicators are suitable measures of user experience in a digital exercise game (exergame), a laboratory study employing both psychophysiological and self‐report ...measures was conducted. Sixty‐six participants cycled for 10 min on an ergometer while pupil diameter, skin conductance, and heart rate were measured; afterward, they completed a user experience questionnaire. The participants performed under three experimental conditions varying between subjects: active gaming (participants controlled the altitude of a digital bird by varying their pedal rate in order to catch letters flying across the screen), observing a game (they observed a replay of another participant’s game), and no‐game (blank screen). Only the gaming condition showed evidence for statistically significant pupil dilations—indicating emotional arousal—in response to game events (catching a letter) or corresponding points in time. The observational condition did not differ statistically from the no‐game control condition. Self‐reports also indicated that the gaming condition was rated most fun and least demanding. Other psychophysiological indicators (heart rate, skin conductance) showed no systematic effects in response to game events, rather they steadily increased during training. Thus, pupil responses were shown to be suitable indicators of positive emotional reactions to game events and user experience in a (training) game.
Pupil responses were recorded while participants exercised on a bicycle ergometer. Participants whose training was embedded in a computer game showed significant pupil dilations in response to critical game events, while control participants that either observed another player's gaming or exercised without playing the game did not show similar responses. Thus, it was demonstrated that pupil responses may help to identify emotional events even in dynamic scenarios like computer or exercise games. Furthermore, for health applications, the present study suggests the use of event‐related pupillometry as yet another sensor to assess user experience and thereby to better allocate motivational incentives.
Stroke is considered one of the main causes of death around the world. Survivors often suffer different kinds of disabilities in terms of their cognitive and motor capabilities, and are therefore ...unable to perform their day-to-day activities. To regain some of their cognitive as well as motor abilities, they require rehabilitation. To this end, we present a serious game framework based on augmented reality technology that may motivate the patients’ involvement in the rehabilitation exercise. Additionally, we analyze the requirements for such a framework and describe the concept and implementation of the proposed approach. Furthermore, we designed a wireless vibrotactile output device that is attached to a tangible object. The tangible object that is connected to the framework can give haptic as well as audio-visual feedback to the patient in a more motivating and entertaining environment for rehabilitation exercises. The suitability and utility of the proposed framework was evaluated with real stroke patients and compared against the performance of a healthy control group, thus facilitating occupational therapists in assessing a patient’s progress. Our evaluations show that the serious games with vibrotactile feedback are well accepted by patients.
This paper describes an interdisciplinary approach towards a framework for personalized, game-based training programs for elderly and handicapped people. Adaptation and personalization are proposed ...as a way to increase the physiological training effects of game-based training programs (exergames). Hereby, the diversity of users and a broad range of physiological handicaps are considered. The framework is based on scientific training programs enhanced by technical methods and concepts for personalized exergames. This includes an authoring environment (StoryTec) which supports game designers and domain experts (sport scientists, medical doctors, therapists, etc.) in the development process and the (personalized) configuration of such exergames. Two prototypically implemented applications (ErgoActive and BalanceFit) demonstrate the usability and adaptation of the underlying training and game concepts for different user groups and provide indicators of the effectiveness and efficiency of the generic framework for particular user groups. For instance, ErgoActive is applicable for people of all ages and both trained and untrained users by being able to provide personalized training levels to improve endurance. Similarly, BalanceFit is useful both for wheelchair and walking frame users in order to maintain and possibly even increase their balance, strength and muscular coordination.
This article presents a feasibility study of using an algorithm for an individual and adaptive control of training load in an ergometer-controlled exergame for aerobic training. An additional goal ...was to investigate the effects of the adaptive game on the players' motivation.
A two-phase approach (calibration and exercise phase) was applied in a sample of 16 physically active adults. In the cardio-exergame "LetterBird," the flight of a pigeon was controlled by the pedaling rate of a bike ergometer as input device. During the calibration phase the individual heart rate (HR) responses of the players were measured. In the exercise phase, these data were used to adjust the resistance of the ergometer using the proposed algorithm. The purpose of this algorithm was to induce an individually defined target HR and to keep it in a steady state. In order to establish a reference for further studies, the game experience was measured using the kids-Game Experience Questionnaire.
In 15 of 16 participants the actual HR reached the intended individual HR range within 10 minutes after onset of exercise. However, the induced HR initially exceeded the target HR in 13 participants, which made load adjustments necessary. The analysis of the kids-Game Experience Questionnaire confirmed the motivational effect of the exergame "LetterBird."
The results confirm that the proposed algorithm for personalized HR control in the game "LetterBird" is feasible. Furthermore, the cardio-exergame "LetterBird" seems to have a substantial short-term motivating effect.
BACKGROUND: Low back pain (LBP) is a common cause for disabilities and reduced autonomy in older adults. Exercise therapy has shown to be effective in the reduction of the symptoms of LBP with ...bridging exercises as a commonly used intervention. Exercise therapy can be supported with biofeedback-based methods in order to further improve motor control. The availability of relatively inexpensive devices like the Nintendo Wii opens up new methods for the treatment for biofeedback-based exercises for patients with LBP. METHODS: We conducted a 3-armed randomized controlled trial (biofeedback, standard care and control) with 62 older adults aged 66 to 89 years and an intervention period of twelve weeks with 2 sessions/week. Primary outcome was the perceived disability using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Additionally, we evaluated usability and user acceptance of the feedback system. RESULTS: The biofeedback group demonstrated significantly lower levels of perceived disability compared to the control group. Additionally, the Biering-Sørensen test was significantly better in the standard care group compared to both other groups. Usability and user-acceptance for the biofeedback system was low, mostly because of connectivity and comfort problems during exercising. CONCLUSIONS: The biofeedback system was able to significantly improve perceived disability and back extensor muscle endurance in older people with subacute low back pain. As the user-acceptance issues were mostly based on technical reasons, higher levels of comfort and dependability of the system could provide an effective method to perform bridging exercises to alleviate the consequences of episodes of low back pain.
Zusammenfassung
Serious Games sind hochkomplex. Sie verbinden Game-Technologien und spielerische Konzepte mit weiteren Technologien und relevanten Konzepten für die verschiedenen Einsatzgebiete von ...Serious Games. Im Beitrag werden wissenschaftlich-technische Methoden, Konzepte und Software-Lösungen zur Erstellung, Steuerung und Evaluation von Serious Games vorgestellt, die in der Gruppe Serious Games am Fachgebiet Multimedia Kommunikation der TU Darmstadt entwickelt wurden. Praxisbeispiele umfassen die Bereiche Bildung und Training sowie Sport und Gesundheit.
Der Erfolg von Smartphones und Tablet-PCs hat den Markt der mobile digitalen Spiele nachhaltig beeinflusst, sowohl auf Hardware- als auch auf Softwareebene. Aktuell findet ein Verdrängungsprozess ...statt, in dessen Rahmen Smartphones andere Geräte für mobiles Spielen vom Markt drängen. Gleichzeitig ermöglichen Smartphones aber auch eine ganz neue Art von digitalen Spielen. In diesem Beitrag betrachten wir die möglichen Implikationen dieser Tatsache auf den Bereich des Serious Gaming.
The rise of smartphones and tablet computers has changed the landscape of mobile gaming, both hardware and software-wise. Smartphones are squeezing other mobile gaming devices out of the market and their specific characteristics enable entirely new types of games and interfaces. In this contribution, we investigate the possible effects of these developments on the field of serious gaming.
Der Erfolg von Smartphones und Tablet-PCs hat den Markt der mobile digitalen Spiele nachhaltig beeinflusst, sowohl auf Hardware- als auch auf Softwareebene. Aktuell findet ein Verdrängungsprozess ...statt, in dessen Rahmen Smartphones andere Geräte für mobiles Spielen vom Markt drängen. Gleichzeitig ermöglichen Smartphones aber auch eine ganz neue Art von digitalen Spielen. In diesem Beitrag betrachten wir die möglichen Implikationen dieser Tatsache auf den Bereich des Serious Gaming.
The rise of smartphones and tablet computers has changed the landscape of mobile gaming, both hardware and software-wise. Smartphones are squeezing other mobile gaming devices out of the market and their specific characteristics enable entirely new types of games and interfaces. In this contribution, we investigate the possible effects of these developments on the field of serious gaming.
Zusammenfassung
Der Erfolg von Smartphones und Tablet-PCs hat den Markt der mobile digitalen Spiele nachhaltig beeinflusst, sowohl auf Hardware- als auch auf Softwareebene. Aktuell findet ein ...Verdrängungsprozess statt, in dessen Rahmen Smartphones andere Geräte für mobiles Spielen vom Markt drängen. Gleichzeitig ermöglichen Smartphones aber auch eine ganz neue Art von digitalen Spielen. In diesem Beitrag betrachten wir die möglichen Implikationen dieser Tatsache auf den Bereich des Serious Gaming.
Summary
The rise of smartphones and tablet computers has changed the landscape of mobile gaming, both hardware and software-wise. Smartphones are squeezing other mobile gaming devices out of the market and their specific characteristics enable entirely new types of games and interfaces. In this contribution, we investigate the possible effects of these developments on the field of serious gaming.
Serious games for health Göbel, Stefan; Hardy, Sandro; Wendel, Viktor ...
Proceedings of the 18th ACM international conference on Multimedia,
10/2010
Conference Proceeding
In this paper, we describe a set of personalized exergames which combine methods and concepts of serious games, adaptation and personalization, authoring and sensor technologies. Compared to existing ...systems, the set of games does not only keep track of the user's vital state, but also directly integrates vital parameters into the gameplay and supports the training and motivation for sustainable physical activity in a playful manner.
