Alasdair G. Thin

Flow Experience and Mood States While Playing Body Movement-Controlled Video Games

Body movement-controlled video games (BMCVGs) are a genre of video gaming utilizing body movement to control game play that is becoming increasingly popular. Despite the popularity and widespread interest in BMCVGs, there is limited information available about the nature of the players’ experiences when they engage in BMCVG play. A total of 14 young adults played 6 different BMCVGs for 6 min each and performed traditional cycling exercise in a randomized order. After two familiarization sessions, on a third occasion, subjects rated their enjoyment and completed the Flow State Scale-2 questionnaire. The BMCVGs were rated more enjoyable than traditional cycling exercise and the Flow dimensions Challenge-Skill Balance and Merging of Action and Awareness scored significantly higher than the norms for exercise activity and instead corresponded more closely to the norms for sporting activity. These findings suggest that BMCVGs could therefore act as a gateway for sedentary individuals to become involved in sporting activities.

Adolescent girls' energy expenditure during dance simulation active computer gaming

Abstract The objective of this study was to determine the energy expended and intensity of physical activity achieved by adolescent girls while playing on a dance simulation game. Twenty adolescent girls were recruited from a local secondary school. Resting oxygen uptake ([Vdot]O2) and heart rate were analysed while sitting quietly and subsequently during ∼30 min of game play, with 10 min at each of three increasing levels of difficulty. Energy expenditure was predicted from [Vdot]O2 at rest and during game play at three levels of play, from which the metabolic equivalents (METS) of game playing were derived. Mean ± standard deviation energy expenditure for levels 1, 2, and 3 was 3.63 ± 0.58, 3.65 ± 0.54, and 4.14 ± 0.71 kcal · min−1 respectively, while mean activity for each level of play was at least of moderate intensity (>3 METS). Dance simulation active computer games provide an opportunity for most adolescent girls to exercise at moderate intensity. Therefore, regular playing might contribute to daily physical activity recommendations for good health in this at-risk population.

Neurophysiological methods for monitoring brain activity in serious games and virtual environments: a review

The use of serious games and virtual environments for learning is increasing worldwide. These technologies have the potential to collect live data from users through game play and can be combined with neuroscientific methods such as EEG, fNIRS and fMRI. The several learning processes triggered by serious games are associated with specific patterns of activation that distributed in time and space over different neural networks. This paper explores the opportunities offered and challenges posed by neuroscientific methods when capturing user feedback and using the data to create greater user adaptivity in game. Existing neuroscientific studies examining cortical correlates of game-based learning do not form a common or homogenous field. In contrast, they often have disparate research questions and are represented through a broad range of study designs and game genres. In this paper, the range of studies and applications of neuroscientific methods in game-based learning are reviewed.

Mixed reality game prototypes for upper body exercise and rehabilitation

This research demonstration consists of an integrated hardware and software platform developed for rapid prototyping of virtual reality-based games for upper body exercise and rehabilitation. The exercise protocol has been adopted from an evidence-based shoulder exercise program for individuals with spinal cord injury. The hardware consists of a custom metal rig that holds a standard wheelchair, six Gametraks attached to elastic exercise bands, a Microsoft Kinect, a laptop and a large screen. A total of 21 prototypes were built using drivers for Kinect, MaxMSP and Unity Pro 3 in order to evaluate game ideas based on deconstruction of the exercise protocol. Future directions include validation of our heuristic design and evaluation model and the development of an exercise suite of point-of-care VR games.

Haptic virtual reality assembly – Moving towards Real Engineering Applications

The use of virtual reality (VR) in interactive design and manufacture has been researched extensively but its practical application in industry is still very much in its infancy. Indeed one would have expected that, after some 30 years of research, commercial applications of interactive design or manufacturing planning and analysis would be widespread throughout the product design domain. Similarly, investigations into virtual environments (VE) for assembly and disassembly tasks have been carried out for many years. Given the availability of moderately-priced high performance computing technology, many of these virtual manufacturing interfaces which only stimulate the visual senses – have made actual physical contact during product development an increasingly rare occurrence.

User Experiences While Playing Dance-Based Exergames and the Influence of Different Body Motion Sensing Technologies

Dance Dance Revolution is a pioneering exergame which has attracted considerable interest for its potential to promote regular exercise and its associated health benefits. The advent of a range of different consumer body motion tracking video game console peripherals raises the question whether their different technological affordances (i.e., variations in the type and number of body limbs that they can track) influence the user experience while playing dance-based exergames both in terms of the level of physical exertion and the nature of the play experience. To investigate these issues a group of subjects performed a total of six comparable dance routines selected from commercial dance-based exergames (two routines from each game) on three different consoles. The subjects’ level of physical exertion was assessed by measuring oxygen consumption and heart rate. They also reported their perceived level of exertion, difficulty, and enjoyment ratings after completing each dance routine. No differences were found in the physiological measures of exertion between the peripherals/consoles. However, there were significant variations in the difficulty and enjoyment ratings between peripherals. The design implications of these results are discussed including the tension between helping to guide and coordinate player movement versus offering greater movement flexibility.

Value propositions for serious games in health and well-being

There are many different potential applications for Serious Games (SGs) in the field of Health and Well-being. While a significant number of SGs have already been produced, there is often a lack of consideration of the business aspects of the development including the market realities for a particular SG application. The development of a value dimensions framework and the analysis of a representative sample of SGs across a range of different Health and Well-being functional (market) sectors revealed significant diversity between functional sectors. Furthermore, an additional level of complexity may be added when the end-users of a SG are separate and distinct entities from the stakeholder(s) commissioning (and paying) for the development of a SG and as a result may differ in their perceptions of value. It is recommended that value propositions need to be carefully considered when planning the development of SGs in the field of Health and Well-being.

Game-based interactive media in behavioral medicine: creating serious affective-cognitive-environmental-social integration experiences

The need to refocus health systems more towards prevention is now widely recognized, since most of the major disease conditions in the developed world have significant behavioral determinants. However, most efforts to date have been limited in their impact as they have generally failed to take account of the complex hierarchy of interacting social and environmental influences. The reality of life in a networked society is such there is now an additional set of corresponding influences that arise in the digital world(s) that an individual inhabits. Concurrent with these developments, the rapid emergence of a wide range of digital technologies offers a whole new set of affordances and potential health applications. We therefore argue for the design of digital supportive environments that utilize mobile devices, sensors, social media, game worlds and mechanics, in order to create transformative experiences that can effect large scale positive health behavior change.

A game-based virtualized reality approach for simultaneous rehabilitation of motor skill and confidence

Virtualized reality games offer highly interactive and engaging user experience and therefore game-based approaches (GBVR) may have significant potential to enhance clinical rehabilitation practice as traditional therapeutic exercises are often repetitive and boring, reducing patient compliance. The aim of this study was to investigate if a rehabilitation training programme using GBVR could simultaneously improve both motor skill (MS) and confidence (CON), as they are both important determinants of daily living and physical and social functioning. The study was performed using a nondominant hand motor deficit model in nonambidextrous healthy young adults, whereby dominant and nondominant arms acted as control and intervention conditions, respectively. GBVR training was performed using a commercially available tennis-based game. CON and MS were assessed by having each subject perform a comparable real-world motor task (RWMT) before and after training. Baseline CON and MS for performing the RWMT were significantly lower for the nondominant hand and improved after GBVR training, whereas there were no changes in the dominant (control) arm. These results demonstrate that by using a GBVR approach to address a MS deficit in a real-world task, improvements in both MS and CON can be facilitated and such approaches may help increase patient compliance.

Servitization versus Commoditization: the Business Model Dilemma Confronting Serious Games for Health

There is growing interest in the use of Serious Games (SGs) to tackle major health issues. Challenges to their adoption and use includes the cost of development and the need to provide evidence of effectiveness. However, an equally pressing dilemma facing the establishment of a market for SGs is the general commoditization of digital media and erosion (diminution) of economic value. Given the substantial upheaval in the entertainment games, software, music, book publishing, and newspaper industries, it seems unlikely that SGs for health will be immune from such market pressures if they persist in being conceptualized and designed as products. The solution is to switch business strategy by re-conceptualizing and designing SGs for health as networked services. The benefits will include personalization, integration with health administration systems, and importantly, the ability control access and therefore the adoption of pay-per-use revenue models, and ultimately the preservation of value.