PrevineQuedas: An immersive virtual reality serious game for fall prevention in older adults

To develop and evaluate an immersive virtual reality serious game for fall prevention among older adults.

This pilot study followed the stages of Design Science Research and was conducted between January 2023 and February 2025. Development and evaluation followed a User-Centered Design approach through three focus group discussions with 10 participants from an older adult community center in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. Participants suggested aspects related to furniture, objects, and environmental elements for the game scenarios set inside the home (bedroom and bathroom). The prototype was developed using Unity 3D, the Google Cardboard SDK, and Google Cardboard. Usability and player experience were evaluated using the Model for the Evaluation of Educational Games. Data analysis employed the Agreement Index (AI) and Spearman's correlation. The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee.

The PrevineQuedas game includes two scenarios with risk objects and two with preventive objects. Gameplay requires a Samsung smartphone, Google Cardboard VR headset, the corresponding application, and a swivel chair. The player selects a scenario and has up to two minutes to identify objects by interacting through head and eye movements (up-down, left-right), providing an immersive experience. The evaluation showed a usability AI of 91.42% and a player experience AI of 100%. Exploratory analyses indicated alignment in responses among items related to ease of use and content organization.

The game received a positive evaluation and may be considered a promising tool for fall prevention among older adults.