| 1. |
- Alklind Taylor, Anna-Sofia, et al.
(author)
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Acceptance of Entertainment Systems in Stroke Rehabilitation
- 2009
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In: Proceedings of IADIS Game and Entertainment Technologies 2009 (GET 2009). - : IADIS Press. - 9789728924850 ; , s. 75-83
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Game-based tools for rehabilitation of different types of physical and cognitive impairments are becoming more and more popular. By introducing an element of fun, these systems aim at increasing patients' motivation to train and, from a further perspective, improve recovery rates. There is, however, a question whether such tools will be fully accepted by the intended target group. Earlier work on user acceptance has mainly focused on utility systems, i.e. systems used mainly in the work place. However, people use systems for different reasons and that makes it difficult to apply the same principles on systems with the main purpose to entertain. Serious games have characteristics from both utility and entertainment systems, which makes it interesting to study the acceptance of these kinds of systems. In this study, we have developed a home-based entertainment system for stroke rehabilitation, with focus on rehabilitation of motor impairments. By analysing the gaming behaviour and interview responses of five stroke patients, we investigate factors influencing user acceptance of this specific type of system. The results show that current models of acceptance are not sufficient to fully explain acceptance of serious games in general and serious games for rehabilitation in particular. Besides well-known factors, such as perceived usefulness, perceived ease-of-use and perceived enjoyment, other, more specific, factors also play a vital role in the acceptance of the system.
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| 2. |
- Alklind Taylor, Anna-Sofia, et al.
(author)
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Gamers against All Odds
- 2009
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In: Learning by playing: game-based education system design and development. - Berlin, Heidelberg : Springer Berlin/Heidelberg. - 9783642033636 - 9783642033643 ; , s. 1-12
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The goal of the project presented in this paper is to enable motor rehabilitation to stroke patients in their home environment and to utilise game enjoyment to achieve frequent training. Stroke patients have an average age above 70 years, which implies that they typically do not belong to a gaming generation. In addition, these patients suffer from motor, and many times cognitive impairments, which make traditional games extremely difficult to use. Nearly all work in this area has been conducted in a clinic environment where it is possible to overcome some of these difficulties by letting professionals assist and guide patients.In this paper, we present the challenges faced, the system itself and the result from a study where five patients were equipped with a game console in their homes for five weeks. The focus of this paper is on analysing the gaming behaviour of patients, which includes the amount of time they spent, the type of games they selected and their comments on the gaming experience. The conclusion from this analysis is that their behaviour resembles that of gamers. They spent significant voluntary time, and it has been possible for patients, with no prior experience of computer games, to enjoy gaming in their homes where they had no professional assistance.
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| 3. |
- Alklind Taylor, Anna-Sofia, et al.
(author)
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The Birth of Elinor : A Collaborative Development of a Game Based System for Stroke Rehabilitation
- 2009
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In: 2009 Second International Conference in Visualisation. - : IEEE. - 9780769537344 ; , s. 52-60
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Elinor is a game based tool for rehabilitation of stroke patients to be used in their home environment. The application is the result of a creative and exploratory development project in which researchers in the serious games area and experts in stroke rehabilitation collaborated in order to develop a motivating, easy to use and relatively inexpensive tool for relearning functions lost due to a stroke. Elinor can be viewed as an integrated system for stroke rehabilitation in that it is both a system, controlled by movements, for training of its primary user group and a system for monitoring the training by medical expertise. In this paper, we will describe the Elinor application itself, the development process and the initial evaluation of it in order to identify implications for serious games.
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| 4. |
- Backlund, Per, et al.
(author)
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Designing for self-efficacy in a game based simulator : An experimental study and its implications for serious games design
- 2008
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In: Proceedings International Conference Visualisation VIS 2008. - : IEEE Computer Society. - 9780769532714 ; , s. 106-113
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper presents the results of an experimental study on designing for self-efficacy in a game based driving simulator. Self-efficacy refers to how people´s beliefs in their capabilities affect their actions. The results show that the design of the feedback system can be used to increae self-efficacy measures thus affecting performance in a driving simulator environment. Self-efficacy has consequences not only for the performance of the particular task, but also for what activities he/she chooses to engage in and the persistence invested in them. Hence we find the results from this study relevant to various aspects of serious games design.
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| 5. |
- Backlund, Per, et al.
(author)
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Games and Traffic Safety : an Experimental Study in a Game-Based Simulation Environment
- 2007
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In: 11th International Conference Information Visualization. - : IEEE Computer Society. - 0769529003 - 9780769529004 ; , s. 908-914
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In this paper we report results from an experimental study of games and traffic safety performed in an advanced gaming environment. During car simulator-sessions we collected data over different traffic safety variables, such as speed, headway distance and lane change behavior, from 70 subjects. The data was analyzed in order to investigate possible individual learning effects and differences between groupings of subjects. The experiment shows clear positive individual learning effects for all traffic safety variables analyzed. Hence we conclude that game based simulations can be used to enhance learning in driving education.
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| 6. |
- Backlund, Per, et al.
(author)
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SIDH : A Game-Based Architecture for a Training Simulator
- 2009
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In: International Journal of Computer Games Technology. - : Hindawi Publishing Corporation. - 1687-7047 .- 1687-7055.
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Game-based simulators, sometimes referred to as "lightweight" simulators, have benefits such as flexible technology and economic feasibility. In this article, we extend the notion of a game-based simulator by introducing multiple screen view and physical interaction. These features are expected to enhance immersion and fidelity. By utilizing these concepts we have constructed a training simulator for breathing apparatus entry. Game hardware and software have been used to produce the application. More important, the application itself is deliberately designed to be a game. Indeed, one important design goal is to create an entertaining and motivating experience combined with learning goals in order to create a serious game. The system has been evaluated in cooperation with the Swedish Rescue Services Agency to see which architectural features contribute to perceived fidelity. The modes of visualization and interaction as well as level design contribute to the usefulness of the system.
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| 7. |
- Backlund, Per, et al.
(author)
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Sidh : a Game Based Firefighter Training Simulation
- 2007
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In: Proceedings of the 11th International Conference Information Visualization (IV '07). - : IEEE Computer Society. - 0769529003 ; , s. 899-907
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper presents Sidh - a game based firefighter training simulator developed in cooperation between the University of Sk¨ovde and the Swedish Rescue Services Agency. Sidh is based on computer game hardware and software solutions but adds a novel interaction model and gameplay specifically developed for the purpose of training firefighters. The simulator environment is a Cave where the player is interacting with the game through a set of sensors. Players move in the virtual world by movements in the physical world and a substantial physical effort is required to accomplish game tasks. Sidh has been used in a feasibility study where 31 firefighter students have been playing the game and the performance of these students as well as their reflections from using the game have been analyzed. Results from this study show that Sidh is a useful complement to traditional training methods and that the subjects give very high grades on the entertainment value of the game which indicate that this form of training may be self-motivating which is an important issue for voluntary, after-hours training.
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| 8. |
- Lebram, Mikael, et al.
(author)
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Design and Architecture of Sidh - a Cave Based Firefighter Training Game
- 2009
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In: Design and Use of Serious Games. - Dordrecht : Springer Netherlands. - 9781402094958 - 9781402094965 ; , s. 19-31
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Book chapter (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper presents the architecture of a game-based training simulator environment developed in collaboration with the Swedish Rescue Services Agency (SRSA). The learning objectives for the game relates to training of firefighters for Breathing Apparatus Entry, and in particular to develop systematic search strategies. The hardware and software system is based on off-the-shelf computer components in combination with tailor made units. The game has been developed as a Half-Life 2 mod - extended to be played in a cave using 5 standard gaming PCs in a local area network. The game environment is a cave where the player is surrounded by four 80" screens giving a 360 degree view of a virtual world. Each screen is projecting a fixed-angle view of the virtual world and the player's orientation in the virtual world corresponds to her orientation in the real world. A novel interaction model has been developed for the game in order for it to be played in the cave. The player navigates and performs game actions using course body movements which are captured through a set of sensors.
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| 9. |
- Backlund, Per, et al.
(author)
-
- 2006
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Denna delrapport presenterar Sp&Ts-projektets aktiviteter och resultat. Projektet har tre huvuddelar: ett spelutvecklingsprojekt, en spelvaneundersökning bland elever på ett antal trafikskolor och experiment i Högskolan i Skövdes körsimulator. Projektet har delredovisats i två lägesrapporter (hösten 2005 och våren 2006). Denna rapport sammanfattar hela projektet och de resultat som föreligger vid projektavslutet. Samtidigt utgör slutrapporten startskottet för Sp&Ts2 som kommer att bli en fortsättning på detta arbete. I Sp&Ts utvecklas ett bilspel med fokus på säker bilköring, realistiska situationer och en rolig spelupplevelse där spelaren, i en "cave-miljö” och med ett fullt realistiskt gränssnitt, får köra bil i ett antal olika scenarier. Scenarierna är tänkta att testa olika aspekter av bilkörning och på olika sätt utmana spelaren. Under utvecklingsprojektet har vi fört diskussioner med Länsförsäkringar Skaraborg, trafikskolor och Statens Väg och Transportforskningsinstitut (VTI) för att få in trafiksäkerhetsaspekter i arbetet. Under projektet har en enkätundersökning bland elever och lärare på tre trafikskolor (Thorells i Falköping; Anderssons i Mariestad; PO:s i Skövde) genomförts, detta för att undersöka sambandet mellan spelvanor och bedömd körskicklighet. Resultaten från analysen av enkätsvaren redovisades även i lägesrapport 2, våren 2006. I projektets avslutande fas har vi knutit ihop spelutvecklingsprojektet med enkätundersökningen i ett experiment som genomförts i den körsimulator som byggts i samband med projektet. I denna rapport redogörs för genomförandet av dessa experiment. Vi ger även en inledande dataanalys som ligger till grund för det publiceringsarbete som kommer att fortgå.Rapporten beskriver projektets genomförande (Kapitel 2), genomförande av experiment och initial dataanalys (Kapitel 3) samt exponering av arbete och resultat (Kapitel 4).
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| 10. |
- Backlund, Per, et al.
(author)
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Computer Gaming and Driving Education
- 2006
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In: Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Computers in Education, ICCE 2006. ; , s. 9-16
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This study investigates the learning effects of playing racing, action, and sports computer games. In particular we focus on traffic school students’ driving behavior. A survey conducted at three driving schools, questioned driving students about their gaming habits. The driving instructors evaluated their students’ driving skills and traffic safety attitudes. The results indicate that experience in computer games can have a positive effect on driving performance. Experienced gamers were ranked significantly higher by their instructors regarding their overall driving skills compared to students with low experience in computer games. However, no evidence was found to indicate that experienced gamers have a worse attitude towards fellow road-users or traffic safety. Experiments conducted in a driving simulator, using a game developed purposely to enhance certain traffic safety variables, reveals that it is possible to provide an entertaining game with serious content. Preliminary results, however, indicate that the version of the game where the explicit game goals are hidden was found to be the most entertaining one. The results of the investigation warrant further review into the development and utilization of computer games for traffic safety and education purposes.
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