ExerG: Video Game-based Physical Cognitive Training for Patients: a Usability Study

Summary

Video game-based training programs, in the following referred to as "exergames" are an innovative digital training approach to simultaneously train physical and cognitive functions and increase training motivation for various populations. Patients who are differently limited in their physical and cognitive performance due to a decline in functioning can profit from a motivating and combined physical-cognitive training approach. An interdisciplinary team of movement scientists, sports and training experts, as well as game and industrial designers developed an innovative and immersive video game-based training product for patients - the ExerCube training software licence. The exergame development focused on a user-centred process together with the target population.

The ExerCube training software licence is an exergame training product that includes immersive mixed-reality training programs (or video games) for patients. Depending on the patient's training requirements, the therapists can choose from the training program repertoire. The patients control the training program (or video game) by specific (whole) body movements. To present the virtual training programs from the ExerCube training software licence in the physical environment, the ExerCube hardware and harness system is used to serve as a physical training room. It allows the virtual video game environment to be presented in the physical world.

This summative usability study aims to assess the training system's safety, usability and validate the user experience.

Primary end-users (defined as patients aged 18 and above) and secondary end-users (defined as sports scientists, training therapists or physiotherapists/occupational therapists with a focus on sports/training therapy) will test and review the system in different testing scenarios.

Conditions

• Gait Disorders, Neurologic
• Gait Disorders in Old Age
• Gait Disorder, Sensorimotor
• Balance; Distorted
• Functional Movement Disorder
• Visual Disorder
• Cognitive Impairment

Interventions

DEVICE

ExerG

The intervention for primary end users (PEU, (patients)) includes the performance of two training rounds with the device. The first round includes a predefined training sequence, whereas the second round is a training sequence defined by the therapist. For the secondary end user group (SEU, (therapists)), there are two study visits. At their first visit they get an introduction and training on how to use the system. At their second visit, SEU will have to prepare the device (switch on hard- and software) and guide the patient through the training.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Innosuisse - Swiss Innovation Agency

  collaborator OTHER

• Frank Behrendt

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Frank Behrendt, PhD · Reha Rheinfelden

Study Design

Allocation

NA

Purpose

OTHER

Masking

NONE

Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2023-05-16

Primary Completion

2023-09-30

Completion

2023-10-31

Countries

• Switzerland

Study Locations