Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Active video game head movement inputs

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Personal and Ubiquitous Computing Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Virtual reality has been extensively studied for applications in rehabilitation. With the development of active video games, these commercial products can also be considered for inclusion in a patient’s rehabilitation program. In this study, the Sony EyeToy ® and PlayStation 2 ® were used with the AntiGrav™ game to evaluate the user’s head movement actions. The game required lateral head, body, and arm movements. Over the course of 9 sessions of game play, average and maximum head excursions remained constant. However, the frequency of head movement increased over the sessions. The results suggest that the video game could be used for postural balance rehabilitation through head movements, and their effect on the vestibular system. Future work will evaluate how such vestibular exercise, and an increase in head movement frequency over training sessions can support postural balance improvements.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

VE:

Virtual environment

VR:

Virtual reality

RMS:

Root mean square

FFT:

Fast Fourier transform

References

  1. Bisson E, Contant B, Sveistrup H, Lajoie Y (2007) Functional balance and dual-task reaction times in older adults are improved by virtual reality and biofeedback training. Cyberpsychol Behav 10(1):16–23

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Chen YP, Kang LJ, Chuang TY, Doong JL, Lee SJ, Tsai MW, Jeng SF, Sung WH (2007) Use of virtual reality to improve upper-extremity control in children with cerebral palsy: a single-subject design. Phys Ther 87(11):1441–1457

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Deutsch JE, Borbely M, Filler J, Huhn K, Guarrera-Bowlby P (2008) Use of a low-cost, commercially available gaming console (Wii) for rehabilitation of an adolescent with cerebral palsy. Phys Ther 88(10):1196–1207

    Google Scholar 

  4. Di Fabio RP, Anderson JH (1993) Effect of sway-referenced visual and somatosensory inputs on human head movement and postural patterns during stance. J Vestib Res 3(4):409–417

    Google Scholar 

  5. Emery CA, Cassidy JD, Klassen TP, Rosychuk RJ, Rowe BH (2005) Effectiveness of a home-based balance-training program in reducing sports-related injuries among healthy adolescents: a cluster randomized controlled trial. Can Med Assoc J 172(6):749–754

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Eng JJ, Pang MYC, Ashe MC (2008) Balance, falls and bone health: role of exercise in reducing fracture risk after stroke. J Rehabil Res Dev 45(2):297–314

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Flynn S, Palma P, Bender A (2007) Feasibility of using the Sony Playstation 2 gaming platform for an individual poststroke: a case report. J Neurol Phys Ther 31:180–189

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Furtado EC, Ramos PD, de Araujo CGS (2009) Blood pressure measurement during aerobic exercise: subsidies for cardiac rehabilitation. Arq Brasil Cardiolog 93(1):45–52

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Gervasi O, Magni R, Zampolini M (2010) Nu!RehaVR: virtual reality in neuro tele-rehabilitation of patients with traumatic brain injury and stroke. Virtual Real 14(2):131–141

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Hurkmans E, van der Giesen FJ, Vliet Vlieland TP, Schoones J, Van den Ende EC (2009) Dynamic exercise programs (aerobic capacity and/or muscle strength training) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 4:CD006853

    Google Scholar 

  11. Ivey FM, Hafer-Macko CE, Macko RF (2008) Task-oriented treadmill exercise training in chronic hemiparetic stroke. J Rehabil Res Dev 45(2):249–260

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Keshner AE, Kenyon VR (2004) Using immersive technology for postural research and rehabilitation. Asst Technol 16(1):27–35

    Google Scholar 

  13. Levac D, Pierrynowski MR, Canestraro M, Gurr L, Leonard L, Neeley C (2010) Exploring children’s movement characteristics during virtual reality video game play. Hum Mov Sci 29(6):1023–1038

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Loke L, Larssen AT, Robertson T, Edwards J (2007) Understanding movement for interaction design: frameworks and approaches. Pers Ubiquit Comput 11(8):691–701

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Lotan M, Yalon-Chamovitz S, Weiss PL (2009) Improving physical fitness of individuals with intellectual and developmental disability through a Virtual Reality Intervention Program. Res Dev Disabil 30(2):229–239

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Macko RF, Benvenuti F, Stanhope S, Macellari V, Taviani A, Nesi B, Weinrich M, Stuart M (2008) Adaptive physical activity improves mobility function and quality of life in chronic hemiparesis. J Rehabil Res Dev 45(2):323–338

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Maki BE, McIlroy WE, Fernie GR (2003) Change-in-support reactions for balance recovery. IEEE Eng Med Biol Mag 22(2):20–26

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. McConville KMV, Virk S (2012) Evaluation of an electronic video game for improvement of balance. Virtual Real 16(4):315–323

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Mille ML, Johnson ME, Martinez KM, Rogers MW (2005) Age-dependent differences in lateral balance recovery through protective stepping. Clin Biomech 20:607–616

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Milosevic M, McConville KMV, Masani K (2011) Arm movement improves performance in clinical balance and mobility tests. Gait Posture 33(3):507–509

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Norré ME, Beckers AM (1988) Vestibular Habituation Training: specificity of Adequate Exercise. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 114(8):883–886

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Rand D, Kizony R, Weiss PL (2008) The Sony PlayStation II EyeToy: low-cost virtual reality for use in rehabilitation. J Neurol Phys Ther 32(4):155–163

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Rogers MW, Mille ML (2003) Lateral stability and falls in older people. Exerc Sport Sci Rev 31:182–187

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Suárez H, Suárez A, Lavinsky L (2006) Postural adaptation in elderly patients with instability and risk of falling after balance training using a virtual-reality system. Int Tinnitus J 12(1):41–44

    Google Scholar 

  25. Sveistrup H, Thornton M, Bryanton C, McComas J, Marshall S, Finestone H, McCormick A, McLean J, Brien M, Lajoie Y, Bisson E (2004) Outcomes of intervention programs using flatscreen virtual reality. In: Proceedings of the 26th IEEE engineering in medicine and biology conference, vol 2, IEEE Press, San Francisco, CA, 1–5 Sept, pp 4856–4858

  26. Weiss P, Rand D, Katz N, Kizony R (2004) Video capture virtual reality as a flexible and effective rehabilitation tool. J Neuro Eng Rehabil 1(1):1–12

    Google Scholar 

  27. Wikstrom EA, Naik S, Lodha N, Cauraugh JH (2009) Balance capabilities after lateral ankle trauma and intervention: a meta-analysis. Med Sci Sports Exerc 41(6):1287–1295

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Yavuzer G, Senel A, Atay MB et al (2008) “Playstation eyetoy games” improve upper extremity-related motor functioning in subacute stroke: a randomized controlled clinical trial. Eur J Phys Rehabil Med 44:1–8

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Dr. Ken Norwich at the University of Toronto for his endless support and encouragement. We also thank Sumandeep Virk for her assistance with the data collection. We thank Lisa D’Alessandro at the University of Toronto, David Michael Mravyan of Elmedex Inc. in Toronto, and Chih-Chuan (Leo) Kant for their assistance. We acknowledge the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) for supporting this work.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Ryerson University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON, M5B 2K3, Canada

    Kristiina M. Valter McConville

  2. Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Kristiina M. Valter McConville & Matija Milosevic

  3. Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Kristiina M. Valter McConville & Matija Milosevic

Authors
  1. Kristiina M. Valter McConville
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Matija Milosevic
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kristiina M. Valter McConville.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

McConville, K.M.V., Milosevic, M. Active video game head movement inputs. Pers Ubiquit Comput 18, 253–257 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00779-013-0662-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00779-013-0662-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation