Combining Gamification and Haptic Coupling in a Two-Dimensional Tracking Task Performed by Human Dyads

Exercises involving two participants are increasingly popular in applications such as motor rehabilitation, but it is still unclear how such exercises can be most effectively designed. This study examines the effects of two promising design elements of dyadic exercises (gamification and haptic coupling) on motor learning, motivation, and muscle activation. 62 healthy adult dyads were divided into four groups where gamification and haptic coupling were either present or absent, then went through an established protocol of learning two-dimensional tracking motions in the intermittent presence of a force field. 36 of these dyads completed an extended protocol where gamification was either added or removed after the main protocol, allowing a crossover study of its effects. Results showed that haptic coupling had no significant effects, matching some previous studies. On the other hand, gamification did improve intrinsic motivation and reduce forearm electromyograms, though the reduction in forearm electromyograms may be due to a biased sample. Overall, haptic coupling does not appear to be a high priority for future applied studies of dyadic exercises, especially since all previous coupling studies were performed with minimalistic visuals. On the other hand, gamification continues to hold promise for applications such as motor rehabilitation.