10th EAI International Conference on Pervasive Computing Technologies for Healthcare

Research Article

Playing to (Self-)Rehabilitate: A Month-Long Randomized Control Trial with Brain Lesion Patients and a Tablet Game

  • @INPROCEEDINGS{10.4108/eai.16-5-2016.2263289,
        author={Hendrik Knoche and Kasper Hald and Dorte Richter and Helle Rovsing M\`{u}ller J\`{u}rgensen},
        title={Playing to (Self-)Rehabilitate: A Month-Long Randomized Control Trial with Brain Lesion Patients and a Tablet Game   },
        proceedings={10th EAI International Conference on Pervasive Computing Technologies for Healthcare},
        publisher={ACM},
        proceedings_a={PERVASIVEHEALTH},
        year={2016},
        month={6},
        keywords={self-rehabilitation game performance patient insight stroke neglect whack-a-mole classification},
        doi={10.4108/eai.16-5-2016.2263289}
    }
    
  • Hendrik Knoche
    Kasper Hald
    Dorte Richter
    Helle Rovsing Møller Jørgensen
    Year: 2016
    Playing to (Self-)Rehabilitate: A Month-Long Randomized Control Trial with Brain Lesion Patients and a Tablet Game
    PERVASIVEHEALTH
    EAI
    DOI: 10.4108/eai.16-5-2016.2263289
Hendrik Knoche1,*, Kasper Hald1, Dorte Richter2, Helle Rovsing Møller Jørgensen2
  • 1: Aalborg University
  • 2: Brønderslev Neurorehabiliteringscenter
*Contact email: hk@create.aau.dk

Abstract

We designed a whack-a-mole (WAM) style game (see Figure 1) evaluated it in a clinical randomized control trial with reminder-assisted but self-initiated use over a month long duration with 43 participants from a post-lesion pool. While game play did not moderate rehabilitative progress indices of standard neuropsychological control tests, it did significantly improve in-game performance when compared to the control group, and its performance indicators had high accuracy in predicting neglect. Patients found playing beneficial for their rehabilitation and attributed gains to the attention training properties of the game. The game showed potential for bedside assessment, insight support, and motivation by providing knowledge about rehabilitative progress.