Enhancing Motivation and Engagement in Game-based Myoelectric Control Training

Abstract

Serious games show great potential in movement rehabilitation. The use of games for physical fitness garnered interest for their application in physical rehabilitation and motor learning. Virtual training has been of interest for myoelectric training, but researchers have approached this topic in various ways reflecting their differing backgrounds. In this thesis, two broad research approaches were identified. The two groupings focused either on engaging game design for muscle training or on task-specificity allowing for skill transfer. Previous studies indicate muscle training alone does not transfer to pros thetic control without task-specificity. Despite this, a surge in engagement-focused games without considering transfer occurred, coinciding with an increase in available signal ac quisition hardware and game development software. I conducted a survey investigating opinions of people with limb difference and researchers regarding game-based prosthetic rehabilitation. Responses showed partially differing views on themes of usability, training, and game design as well as opinions on current challenges and potential solutions. Game user types of both participant groups showed significant differences to a sample student population. I implemented an interface of an established myoelectric virtual training task including two game-based versions. Then I tested three groups of limb-intact participants on voluntary training time and motivational and engaging aspects. This established a longer training on one task structure through game design and highlighted an appropriate amount of challenge and aesthetic design as influential design principles. The results show a willingness and optimism toward the topic of serious games in virtual myoelectric training and evidence the benefits of a serious game approach. However, hurdles limiting the adoption of these games were acknowledged. The effectiveness of tasks and game design elements require further investigation. This thesis demonstrates that using game design methodically can show short-term support of adherence and duration of virtual myoelectric training. Whether this leads to long-term adherence remains an open question.