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Exergame Design for Cognitive Rehabilitation

This project aims to enhance cognitive inhibition in older adults through a combination of physical activity and cognitive tasks. We designed the Ping Pong exergame, which integrates traditional cognitive tasks with physical exercises within a gaming environment. A longitudinal study was conducted to evaluate the game's usability and its effectiveness in training cognitive inhibition. The results revealed positive usability scores and significant improvements in cognitive task performance among players.

Role: Researcher / Game Designer

Method: Longitudinal Study

Research Type: Validation Research

Company: Nanyang Technological University

Timeline: 3 months

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Background

Aging is associated with cognitive decline, impacting both normal aging and late-life depression. Cognitive inhibition, a vital cognitive component, tends to deteriorate in older adults, particularly in tasks requiring the suppression of irrelevant information. To counter these challenges and promote healthy aging, cognitive training has shown promise. This project introduces the Ping Pong exergame, designed for older adults. It leverages intuitive Kinect interfaces and integrates elements of table tennis, which allows players to train their cognitive inhibition while engaging in physical exercise.

Goals

  1. Assess Cognitive Improvement: Evaluate the effectiveness of the Ping Pong exergame in enhancing cognitive inhibition among older adults through a longitudinal study.

  2. Measure Usability: Determine the usability of the Ping Pong exergame as an interactive tool for older adults, utilizing the System Usability Scale (SUS) to assess user experience.

  3. Promote Healthy Aging: Investigate the potential of combining physical exercise and cognitive training within an engaging exergame to promote cognitive health and overall well-being in older adults.

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Method

  1. Longitudinal Usability Test

    • 33 Participants (mean Age: 70.9)​

    • 5 Weeks (15 - 20 minutes play each day)

  2. Cognitive Test

    • Flanker task​

    • Simon task

    • Stroop task

    • Conduct three cognitive tests at the beginning and end of the study

  3. Survey

    • System usability scale​

    • Demongraphic information

Insights

  1. ​.Improved cognitive inhibition: The data analysis results show that older participants exhibited significantly reduced response times in post-exergame cognitive tests, suggesting that playing the Ping Pong exergame improved their cognitive inhibition. This improvement was particularly noticeable in tasks requiring quick stimulus discrimination.

  2. Potential for Technological Interventions: Participants who actively engaged with the exergames, demonstrated significantly improved cognitive performance. This highlights the potential of technology-based interventions to benefit cognitive health in older adults, particularly in tasks requiring rapid decision-making and inhibition.

  3. For more insights of this project, please refer to below publication:

    • Zhang, H., Shen Z., Liu S., Yuan D. and Miao, C., Ping Pong: An Exergame for Cognitive Inhibition Training. International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction, Vol. 37(12), 1104-1115, 2021.​

Research Impact

Strategical Impact​

Technology Integration: The integration of interactive exergames with cognitive training addresses the strategic goal of leveraging technology to enhance well-being in aging populations. This approach may open avenues for innovative technology-based solutions in senior care and cognitive health.

Stakeholder Collaboration Impact

  • Academic Partnerships: Collaborating with universities and research institutions enhances the credibility of the study and can lead to further research collaborations. 

  • Tech Industry Collaboration: Collaborating with technology companies specializing in exergames strengthens product innovation. These stakeholders gain insights into addressing the needs of older adult users.

Product Impact

Enhanced Exergame Design: The research findings influence the design and development of exergames, emphasizing the importance of diverse cognitive tasks within these games. This leads to more engaging and effective products for improving cognitive health and overall well-being.

My Learning

  1. Creating digital products and games for older adults requires a strong focus on simplicity and user-friendliness. Older individuals may not be familiar with new technologies, so prioritizing ease of use and playability is paramount.

  2. ​To engage older adults effectively, it's valuable to incorporate features that encourage social interaction among them. Designing products that facilitate discussions and interactions within this demographic can serve as a powerful motivator for product adoption and use.

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