Retraining function in people with Parkinson's disease using the Microsoft kinect: game design and pilot testing

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Rehabilitation Technology
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Standard physiotherapy for Parkinson's disease (PD) faces challenges in providing motivating and engaging exercise.
• Computer-based gaming systems, like Microsoft Kinect, offer novel modes for exercise, enhancing sensory feedback and action observation.
• There is a need for safe, feasible, and effective exercise games tailored for PD rehabilitation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a computer game using Kinect for dynamic postural control rehabilitation in people with PD.
• To pilot test the safety and feasibility of this developed game in a group of individuals with PD.

Main Methods:

• A rehabilitation game targeting dynamic postural control was iteratively developed with input from people with PD.
• The game features multi-directional reaching and stepping tasks across 12 difficulty levels.
• Nine individuals with PD participated in a one-session pilot test, providing feedback via semi-structured interviews on safety and feasibility.

Main Results:

• Participants reported feeling safe and experienced no adverse events during gameplay.
• Most participants enjoyed the game, with 7 out of 9 envisioning its home use for balance improvement.
• While immersion was high, some users found visual object discrimination and simultaneous reaching/stepping tasks challenging.

Conclusions:

• Kinect-based rehabilitation games demonstrate safety and feasibility for individuals with PD.
• Further intervention studies are required to evaluate the safety, feasibility, and efficacy of these games for home-based rehabilitation.