PROGame: A process framework for serious game development for motor rehabilitation therapy

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Therapy
• Game Development
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Serious games offer motivational advantages for rehabilitation therapy.
• A systematic development process is needed for high-quality serious games.
• Existing frameworks lack specificity for motor rehabilitation serious games.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel process framework for serious game development in motor rehabilitation therapy.
• To demonstrate the framework's application in creating a serious game for balance and postural control.
• To validate the framework's effectiveness through a case study.

Main Methods:

• Development of a new, systematic process framework tailored for serious games.
• Application of the framework to design and develop a serious game targeting balance and postural control.
• Clinical evaluation of the serious game with adults diagnosed with cerebral palsy.

Main Results:

• The developed serious game significantly improved balance and postural control in patients.
• Patients transitioned from a high fall risk category to a moderate fall risk category.
• The framework facilitated the development process, supported by technological transfer and commercial exploitation.

Conclusions:

• The proposed process framework provides a coherent and systematic method for developing high-quality serious games for motor rehabilitation.
• The framework's successful application demonstrates its potential to improve patient outcomes, specifically in reducing fall risk.
• The development strategy is adaptable and applicable to other rehabilitation domains beyond motor therapy.