JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Since the early 2000s, exercise video games (exergames) and virtual reality (VR) based interventions have been proposed as an innovative method to supplement physical rehabilitation in people with multiple disabilities. Over the past decade, researchers and exercise professionals have focused on using specialized immersive exercise video games for different populations, including users who have suffered a stroke, exposing measurable benefits for upper limb rehabilitation. However, there remains a need to create highly engaging, personalized games that enable the creation of experiences that include the preferences, motivations, and barriers communicated by end users.

Objective:

The objective of this paper was to apply the play test methodology to determine how much an exergame can be customized for users with stroke, in addition to evaluating its usability as a technological tool in a rehabilitation process with physical therapy

Methods:

This paper presents a user-centered design methodology for creating a VR exergame that uses a head-mounted display to rehabilitate the upper limbs of people who have suffered a stroke episode. The design process encompasses a user modeling phase, an iterative game design methodology involving end users and a multidisciplinary team, and a final pilot usability study.

Results:

The iterative game prototyping process was conducted through four play testing sessions actively involving nine stroke users, who played with the Oculus Rift headset with preliminary versions of the game mechanics and provided key feedback to improve the experience of the content and versions of the game mechanics. Finally, a pilot study was conducted, where the usability of the game was evaluated by interacting with ten new users with stroke. We analyzed the playability and accessibility of the VR exergame with Oculus Quest 2.

Conclusions:

Exergames played by users with stroke hemiparesis as physical activity rehabilitation sessions with stimuli of shoulder and elbow movements that are required for a functional minimum of the subject, support the rehabilitation process of users favoring mobility and functional use of the limb while allowing researchers to collect data and elements and subjective feedback to the system to increase the sensitivity of the observations, improve the design and increase user satisfaction, becoming a promising complement to traditional therapy.