VReye! | DGA Gaming Fieldlab

Children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) experience problems with learning and performing motor skills, such as cycling, severely impacting daily activities and social participation. These children find it difficult to transfer skills learned in the clinic into daily life. In this cross-sectoral research-industry collaboration, we will research how a hybrid VR-gaming intervention called VReye! can facilitate a knowledge transfer towards sustainable cycling behavior for children with DCD. To do so, we develop a personal cycling set-up on location, a realistic VR game that systematically introduces dynamic elements, and intelligent feedback algorithms on gaze behavior for the therapists, following a research-through-design methodology. Step-wise try-outs will result in a functional prototype. A care implementation strategy and a protocol for follow-up evaluation on the added value in rehabilitation could support in gaining beneficial scientific knowledge for learning skills and transferability in children with DCD or other target groups.

Consortium Partners

Knowledge institution

University of Twente, Biomedical Signals and Systems group, Persoanlized eHealth technology research programme

Companies (MKB)

Roessingh Research and Development, eHealth technology for rehabilitation Twinsense360, virtual and augmented reality games

Healthcare organization

Roessingh Centrum voor Revalidatie, paediatric rehabilitation

Expectations

In this cross-sectoral collaboration, clinicians, researchers, game developers, business developers and children with DCD and their parents work closely together to research and develop an innovative VR-gaming environment, through e.g. interactive workshops and an advisory group throughout the project. We will use a research-through-design methodology, building on insights from stakeholders, as well as eye-tracking data and evidence-based rehabilitation standards. Step-wise evaluations will investigate technical efficacy, usability, and in the end, will result in protocols for future care implementation and large-scale evaluation to research added value compared to regular care.

Technical artefacts

Intelligent feedback algorithms on gaze behavior for cycling
Integration of feedback on gaze behaviour based on eye tracking in VR game
Prototype product: VReye!

Methodologies

Implementation care protocol, describing tasks, features and target motor skills
Evaluation protocol following the ICF-CY domains

Thematic Reports

State-of-the-art of motor skills learning in immersive VR
Results of try-outs as part of iterative development
IP/licensing arrangements with involved (future) parties

Additionally

Scientific paper on designing for transferability of learning motor skills
Contributions to healthcare and game conference
DGA and CLickNL community: FieldLab workshop, 2 presentations about project progress, or presentation/demonstration at DRIVE festival

Description

DCD is a common and chronic neurodevelopmental disorder affecting around 5-6% of all children. Their problems with learning and performing motor skills such as cycling, severely impact daily activities and thereby their health and social participation. In pediatric rehabilitation, children first learn basic competences for cycling in a controlled setting in the clinic, and afterwards, they go outside to practice in traffic. However, it is very difficult to transfer skills learned in the clinic into daily life. The training goals (e.g. number of cars, distractions) are not controllable and thereby cannot be gradually adapted to the individual capabilities. In addition, the therapist walks or cycles next or behind the child to interfere when needed, but cannot see why this happened, as the actual gaze behavior (information processing, distraction, staring) of the child cannot be observed. As such there was a clear need from daily practice expressed to bridge this gap.

We expect that VR games can provide an environment that benefits the current methods, by offering a safe, controlled, realistic and systematically dynamic environment. Therefore, we will research how a hybrid VR-gaming intervention can facilitate a knowledge transfer towards sustainable cycling behavior for children with DCD by systematically introducing dynamic elements, integrating eye tracking and providing intelligent, personalized feedback on gaze behavior. More specifically, we will investigate:

SQ1:What is the state of the art of motor skills learning for rehabilitation in VR?
SQ2:How can we characterize (classify) gaze behavior during cycling using VR-eye-tracking?
SQ3:How should we create intelligent algorithms to provide feedback on gaze behavior?
SQ4:What information should be fed back to the therapists?
SQ5:How could the VReye! be integrated in rehabilitation care?
SQ6:What evaluation protocol is needed to investigate added value of VReye! to rehabilitation care?