INTERPLAY—Advanced Console for the Playful Rehabilitation of Children with Neuromotor Disabilities

Abstract

INTERPLAY is a project that proposes the development of an advanced console that suits the motor and cognitive level of the user. The main objectives of the motor rehabilitation are to reduce disability, increase functional ability and, consequently, promote social participation. Adapted peripherals were specially developed for users with motor impairments to enable them the access to the adapted rehabilitation games. The peripherals are based on inertial sensors and superficial electromyography for the measurement of body posture and muscle activation. In addition, a gaze tracking device will quantify the child’s level of attention during the game. The system will allow the therapist to design and import customized rehabilitation protocols consisting of sequences of games to exercise 3 body segments (head, trunk, and upper limbs) and perform movements in the frontal, sagittal and transverse axis. The therapist will be able to select specific difficulty levels for each subject and stage of the therapy and to monitor the evolution of the child throughout the work sessions. Patients with severe deficiencies of movement, posture and expression, among others, will use in their everyday life this system both at home and/or at care centers. In this paper, we present the therapies design concepts, rehabilitation system architecture, and implementation results.