Gamification of Tube Phonation: A Feasibility Study for Voice Therapy Practice

Area of Science:

• Speech-language pathology
• Human-computer interaction
• Gerontology

Background:

• Voice disorders affect a significant portion of the population, necessitating effective home-based rehabilitation strategies.
• Adherence to prescribed vocal exercises is often a challenge for patients, impacting treatment outcomes.
• Gamification offers a potential solution to enhance engagement and motivation in therapeutic exercises.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a serious game for tube phonation to increase adherence to home vocal exercises.
• To assess the effectiveness of gamification in promoting consistent daily vocal practice in healthy older adults.

Main Methods:

• A serious game, integrated with an Internet of Things (IoT) device and accelerometer, was developed for tube phonation.
• Sixteen healthy older adults were divided into an experimental (game) and control group for a 1-week home practice period.
• Phonation durations were objectively recorded using the IoT device, followed by a post-experiment questionnaire.

Main Results:

• The experimental group consistently maintained tube phonation durations exceeding 5 seconds, unlike the control group.
• Participants in the experimental group reported a more positive attitude towards long-term home vocal exercises.
• Objective data indicated improved adherence in the gamified group, despite both groups' self-reported compliance.

Conclusions:

• The developed serious game effectively promotes correct and consistent daily vocal exercises.
• Gamification is a valuable approach for enhancing adherence and engagement in voice rehabilitation.
• This technology shows promise for improving patient outcomes in voice therapy.