Video games for cerebral palsy patients
CP is associated with an inactive lifestyle that affects physical, social and mental well-being. Therapy costs can run to EUR 145 000 a year and this is not affordable for most families. Video games offer a way to improve mental and physical health but there are few, if any, games suited to CP patients. With the support of EU funding, the GAME-ABLING (Platform of games for people with cerebral palsy to enhance living adjustment) project set out to produce a commercial game development platform to address this. The platform will be used by game developers to make games, but is also simple enough for non-professionals (like parents of CP patients) to create customised games. The project initially focused on defining system specifications as well as the ethics and protocols of data collection. A common framework was then built using the C++ programming language. The next task was to create video motion libraries, which are coupled with location-, head- and hand-tracking algorithms to form the control system. Researchers also developed algorithms that can use sounds as a game controller, and the system accommodates other controllers such as a keyboard and mouse. Two simple games were built using the system for testing purposes. One of these also has a web application that allows users to create their own mini-games. Once complete, GAME-ABLING will be offered as an online subscription service, giving users access to the system and games created by others. In addition, the platform will provide data logging and activity reporting, allowing parents and doctors to monitor the physical activity of CP patients. GAME-ABLING expects to create new business lines for the SME partners and extend its reputation globally. Socioeconomic benefits will be an increase in quality of life for patients and cuts in care costs.
Keywords
Video games, cerebral palsy, development platform, algorithms, online subscription