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.

Immersive learning conceptualizes education as a set of active phenomenological experiences that are based on presence. Immersive learning can be implemented using both physical and digital means, such as virtual reality and augmented reality.

People with Parkinson's disease (PD) commonly have gait impairments that reduce their ability to walk safely in the community. These impairments are characterized, in part, by a compromised ability to turn and negotiate both predictable and unpredictable environments. Here, we describe the development and usability assessment of a virtual reality training application, Wordplay VR, that allows people with PD to practice skills such as turning, obstacle avoidance, and problem-solving during over-ground walking in a game-based setting. Nine people with PD completed three sessions with Wordplay VR, and each session was directed by their personal physical therapist. Our outcome measures included perceived sense of presence measured using the International Test Commission–Sense of Presence Inventory (ITC-SOPI), levels of motivation using the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI), overall system usability using the System Usability Scale (SUS), and setup time by the physical therapists. Both the people with PD and the physical therapists rated their sense of presence in the training system positively. The system received high ratings on the interest and value subscales of the IMI, and the system was also rated highly on usability, from the perspective of both the patient during gameplay and the therapist while controlling the experience. These preliminary results suggest that the application and task design yielded an experience that was motivating and user-friendly for both groups. Lastly, with repeated practice over multiple sessions, therapists were able to reduce the time required to help their patients don the headset and sensors and begin the training experience.

This paper outlines a design case study for Skyfarer, a mixed reality rehabilitation application developed for upper body exercise of individuals aging with disability. We describe how experience, experiential and participatory design methodologies were combined to develop a game, which was publicly exhibited at IEEE VR and ACM SIGGRAPH, and formally evaluated in a biomechanical study at Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center RLANRC.