TouchPoints: an exertion game with strategy

Abstract

Using video games in rehabilitation has proven the potential to provide patients with fun and motivating exercise systems. The main question therefore is how to design body-based video games to improve a rehabilitation experience. This work-in-progress paper introduces TouchPoints, a full body exertion experience designed for stretching exercises in rehabilitation centers as part of a series of short-duration design studies. Our concept is to provide patients with a scenario where a stretching exercise routine could be accomplished in a playful and pleasant way. Lo-fi prototypes were used to demonstrate the game- play and gather valuable feedback from users' experience, which later informed the design of the TouchPoints. In addition, we propose further user-centric developments for TouchPoints involving both rehabilitation patients and therapists on how to increase patients' motivation. This paper is intended to read alongside the game demo video.