Concerning the Potential of Using Game-Based Virtual Environment in Children Therapy Andrada David Ovidius University of Constanta Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics 124 Mamaia Bd., Constanta, 900527, Romania E-mail: andradadavid92[at]gmail.com Abstract The aim of this paper was to examine how video games can be designed so that through the Kinect sensor they would help in the process of physical therapy of disabled children that takes place in the comfort of their own home. The need for such games is rather great as the process of rehabilitation and even learning can be challenging and tedious. The games provide a safe and controlled environment in which the children can thrive. Keywords: Kinect sensor, Game therapy, Virtual Reality 1. Introduction The most efficient way to help special needs children is to find alternative methods of teaching and helping them develop the competences they lack or need. Interactive movement through games was proven to lead to a positive physical therapy experience. It can also increase motivation for learning new skills and even boost self-esteem. 1.1 State of the art The Kinect sensor was released in 2010 as a peripheral for the Xbox 360 and was marketed as a way to add motion controls to games [1]. Microsoft even added it as a peripheral when Xbox One was released, boosting features in it such as voice control for the console. While some see it is as nothing more than a video-game add-on, the Microsoft Kinect commands technologies that extend practical usage beyond the gaming realm. After Microsoft released the SDK for Kinect, it has been a vital part in many medical, robotic and other fields, re-invented as part of a homemade hack, a university research project and lots more [1]. Here are some of the innovative ways the Microsoft Kinect is being used. Using the Kinect sensor one can produce high-quality 3D Scans.The Kinect Fusion project [1] allows a user to use an off-the-shelf Kinect camera as a 3D scanner for producing high-quality 3D scans of small or large objects. Another useful project would be Ubi Interactive, project that turns any surface into an interactive touch-screen [1]. An even more fun way of using the sensor would be to create a virtual dressing room in which one can see how clothes would fit them without having to try them on. It is also used in the medical field to help with stroke recovery. The sensor has even been used by surgeons in the middle of surgery in order to obtain certain information about the patient without needing to interact with non-sterile surfaces. The Kinect sensor was even used in the development of a system that can translate sign language into spoken and written language in near real time
200 University of Bucharest and University of Craiova A project using Microsoft Kinect, even more impressive than the ones mentioned above is VirtualRehab. VirtualRehab [2] is a clinically validated physical rehabilitation system which uses videogame technology and allows the monitoring of the progress of patients from anywhere in the world. It can be used in clinics and hospitals as well as in the patient s homes allowing them to continue their rehabilitation treatment which leads to improved patient outcomes. VirtualRehab allows the treatment of different functions for the following pathologies: Neurodegenerative diseases, (Multiple sclerosis, Parkinson s Disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer s Disease), Neuromuscular disorders (Dystrophies, Myopathies, Amyotrophies and Neuropathies), Neurovascular disorders / Trauma (Stroke and Traumatic brain injuries), and Mobility for the elderly. It is the very first virtual rehabilitation software to be classified as a medical device, registered as a Class I, getting the CE Mark conforming with the regulatory system of EU s Medical Device Directives. 2. Application architecture In the following chapter the application will be presented as well as the necessary hardware components for it to work. The main objective of the research was to create an interface between a user and a 2D game, interface that would contribute to the improvement of behavioral control and motor and sensorial skills of the patient, without the need of additional equipment. It was also intended to be a learning tool for children with autism. By using their gestures to navigate a virtual menu the user s coordination will improve. The game is based on the ability of the patient to recognize and classify objects into categories. Grouping objects [3] is an important skill, particularly for lower functioning children who have autism. The ability to group objects can be linked to activities that include turn taking and waiting. Grouping objects also assists students with autism to develop a greater understanding of characteristics or attributes. The ability to group and categorize objects is often a prerequisite skill for work preparation activities at school and vocational training for post school options. Many students with autism may develop obsessions associated with sequencing or grouping highly desired objects. Students with autism often need to generalize a skill in a range of setting before the skill can be mastered. All this was achieved by using the Microsoft Kinect Sensor. All being considered a complex interaction system that integrates gesture commands, using the same hardware resources, was developed. Thus, the Kinect device was used to recognize the user s gestures. 2.1 Technologies The game employs the Microsoft Kinect V2 sensor [4] to capture theuser s movements. It has been programmed with Unity [5], a game development ecosystem which is able to create 3D and 2D content and run it in multiplatform systems like Desktop, Web, ios [6], Android [7] and consoles. The recommended hardware and software configurations are: A Microsoft Kinect sensor V2, which includes a power hub, USB cabling and an adaptor A PC with Microsoft Windows V8 or later with the Kinect drivers installed and the next recommended: 64-bit (x64) processor 4 GB Memory (at least)
The 11 th International Conference on Virtual Learning ICVL 2016 201 Physical dual-core 3.1 GHz (2 logical cores per physical) or faster processor USB 3.0 controller dedicated to the Kinect V2 sensor DX11 capable graphics adapter[8] Figure 1. Conceptual design scheme (adapted from [11]). The PC projects the game on a monitor/screen making the visualization easier for the patient. The Kinect sensor is placed in front of the user, above or under the screen. As the user moves the sensor registers the movements and sends the refined data to the PC, resulting in movement in the game. After the patient completes a level/task, his/her progress will be stored in a database so that the physician can review it and adjust the game in order to see further progress. 2.2 Software components Virtual reality [9] is the creation of a virtual environment presented to our senses in such a way that we experience it as if we were really there. It uses a host of technologies to achieve this goal and is a technically complex feat that has to account for our perception and cognition. It has both entertainment and serious uses, including a wide variety of applications in architecture, sport, medicine, arts, and entertainment. The concepts behind virtual reality are based upon theories about a long held human desire to escape the boundaries of the real world by embracing cyberspace. Once there we can interact with this virtual environment in a more naturalistic manner which will generate new forms of human-machine interaction (HMI) [10]. The technology is becoming cheaper and more widespread. We can expect to see many more innovative uses for the technology in the future and perhaps a fundamental way in which we communicate and work thanks to the possibilities of virtual reality.
202 University of Bucharest and University of Craiova 3. Use case The application is essentially a game that helps children with special needs.it in composes the following competences: Attention; The ability to coordinate movements; The ability to react quickly; The ability to recognize and group objects that fall in the same category. The game is based on the ability of the user to differentiate fruit from booms and catch them in a hat (Figure 2).The user will be able to navigate through the game using hand gestures. To hat will move left to right on the screen as the user leans left to right in real life. a) b) Figure 2.a) Object interaction, b) Object interaction. After finishing a level a new one will be unlocked (Figure 3). To help the experience and to motivate the user a star based reward system was implemented. a) b) Figure 3.a) Object interaction, b) Level menu. The main advantages of these types of games are: They are affordable to everyone as you can do these types of exercises from home They do not require additional equipment that can restrict movement or get in the way And maybe the main advantage would be that they are customizable and easy to use
The 11 th International Conference on Virtual Learning ICVL 2016 203 The only drawback of the application at this moment is the precision of the sensor which has not been yet programmed to identify only one user at a time. 4. Conclusion In conclusion virtual reality can be useful in the personalization and optimization of therapeutic procedures, helping lots of children gain confidence in their own ability and teaching them new skills. In the future with the help of specialized personnel these kind of therapy can be implemented, tested and improved in order to help as many children as possible. References 1. 10 Creative And Innovative Uses Of Microsoft Kinect, http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/innovative-useskinect 2. VirtualRehab, http://www.virtualrehab.info/ 3. Autism Games, http://www.autismgames.com.au/game_gobject.html 4. Microsoft, Kinect Windows app development,https://dev.windows.com/en-us/kinect 5. Unity Technologies, Unity Game Engine, http://unity3d.com 6. Apple ios, http://www.apple.com/ios/ios-10/ 7. Android, https://www.android.com/ 8. System Requirements, https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn782036.aspx 9. Virtual Reality, http://www.vrs.org.uk/virtual-reality/what-is-virtual-reality.html 10. Virtual Reality concepts, http://www.vrs.org.uk/virtual-reality/concepts.html 11. Conceptual design scheme image, http://www.physio-pedia.com/the_effectiveness_of_gaming_tech nology_in_neurological_rehabilitation