A stroke, also known as a cerebrovascular accident, is a leading cause of death and a major contributor to long-term disability worldwide. The death of brain cells during a stroke often leads to deficits in physical functions for survivors, affecting their ability to walk, reach, and grasp. Following a stroke, the brain exhibits remarkable restorative abilities through neuroplasticity, the capacity to rewire itself. Moreover, physical rehabilitation plays a crucial role in promoting neuroplasticity and mitigating the effects of the disease. Patient recovery requires time and patience, involving daily repetitive physical exercises, which can be both exhaustive and demotivating. Various types of stroke rehabilitation exercises exist, with motion-based serious games gaining popularity recently. These games have demonstrated evidence of encouraging participants to engage in repetitive training tasks that were previously challenging.
The objective of this project is to create a platform for evaluating and enhancing hand movements through gaming technologies. The system includes a remote controller equipped with multiple pressure sensors. Patients, utilizing their impaired hand, operate this controller to engage in interactive tasks within a serious video game. The project entails researching existing platforms with similar functionalities available in the market, designing and developing the required hardware and firmware for the remote controller, and creating a corresponding video game.
The engineering team is expected to familiarize themselves with pressure sensors, electronics, and game development as part of the project's scope.
At the end of the project the engineering team is expected to: Propose multiple designs for the remote controller, each incorporating a minimum of three pressure sensors. Develop the required acquisition and wireless communication electronics, taking into consideration that users may only apply low pressures due to hand impairment. Evaluate and test the prototype of the remote controller. Design a compact printed circuit board (PCB) based on the functional prototype. Develop or modify a video game that utilizes data from the sensors as input. The game should allow for parameterization, such as control sensitivity, baseline, etc. Record relevant game data (pressure, time, etc.) either locally or remotely.
Create an engaging video game inspired by findings on published research articles. Create a database to store the patient relevant data. A feature proposed by the development team.
D1.Action- Draft proposal (should include the strategy for achieving the objectives and a plan of action with a timeline). D2.MTR- Midterm technical report about the design and the implementation. D3.DEMO- Working prototype (hardware and software). D4.FTR- Final technical report of the project.
D5.WEB- Webpage with the proposal and the Team. D6.OP- Presentation for oral communication (15 minutes) of the fully developed prototype system. D7.VIDEO- One-minute video showing the fully developed prototype system in operation and demonstrating the achievement of different requirements. D8.TM- Technical manual.