RO1 Inclusive Methodology Development:

 

a. Develop and test participatory design and co-design methodologies to create an intervention with stroke survivors.

b. Investigate how personalised in-game data feedback systems can enable a participant centric co-design process.

c. Investigate tailoring that goes beyond physical goals and motor capabilities and includes individualised strategies, which may be useful for other stroke survivors. 

 

RO2 Music Customisation and Personalisation:

 

a. Create bespoke music compositions to enhance game engagement and provide therapeutic benefits.

b. Evaluate the integration of original music and user music preferences into StepMania, including synchronising BPM with game actions (arrows).

c. Assess StepMania’s ability to synchronise rehabilitation movements with the BPM of stroke survivors’ preferred music and original compositions.

d. Explore the use of commercial gaming-style audio effects within the game.

e. Explore the use of player choice in-game customisation.

f. Investigate the ability to create gaming levels utilising RAS 

g. Explore the use of rhythm, music and the synchronisation of rehabilitation movements

 

RO3 Upper Limb Rehabilitation and Exercise:

a. Investigate how StepMania can accommodate various types of upper limb exercises and different speeds of movement repetition.

b. Adapt StepMania and its interfaces to support stroke survivors with a range of hemiparesis.

c. Investigate how StepMania can facilitate short and long gaming levels

d. Investigate how StepMania can accommodate various types of upper limb exercises and different number of repetitions.

e. Explore methods to identify and correct physical compensations during gameplay

 

RO4 Categorisation:

a. Evaluate StepMania’s potential to develop stroke-specific libraries of game levels.

b. Categorise and label gaming levels appropriately.

 

RO5 Visual Elements:

a. Assess how the visual elements included within StepMania can guide rehabilitation movements.

b. Evaluate the personalisation of background visuals within the game.

c. Assess how StepMania can facilitate visuals to enhance rehabilitation.

 

 

RO6 Technological Accessibility and Interface Innovation:

a. Investigate the use of accessible off-the-shelf interfaces to control the game via rehabilitation exercises.

b. Explore the development of non-proprietary electronic grip interfaces similar to existing tools like MusicGlove and Isotrainer.

c. Develop non-proprietary, adaptive interfaces for personalised control and ­­­-effective interventions.

d. Explore using participant’s existing equipment to facilitate upper limb exercises to control and interact with StepMania.

 

RO7 Assessment and Feedback Mechanisms:

a. Utilise StepMania’s scoring metrics to assess motor function improvement.

b. Investigate StepMania’s potential as a formal assessment tool for rehabilitation progress.

c. Investigate if and what qualitative data is necessary to accompany quantitative data  to ascertain StepMania’s potential as a formal assessment tool for rehabilitation progress.

d. Investigate StepMania’s ability to motivate the player through end of play scoring systems.

e. Investigate correlation between game play and increase in high scores.

 

RO8 User Experience:

a. Investigate the user experience (UX) of StepMania, focusing on its adaptability to individual rehabilitation needs.

b. Assess StepMania’s capability to be installed on different computer platforms.

c. Determine setup procedures and environments suitable for stroke survivors at home.

d. Conduct stroke-specific playtesting to enhance the user experience.

e. Investigate importance of  game design  to UX

 

RO9 Economic Impact

a. Utilise low-cost, non-proprietary interfaces.

b. Ensure StepMania is accessible to all, regardless of computer model or equipment availability.

c. Ensure StepMania is free and updatable.

 

RO10 Adherence and Motivation:

a. Explore participants’ adherence to the intervention.

b. Investigate participants’ reported motivation for engaging with the gaming intervention (SDT)

c. Explore the frequency of usage of the intervention.

d. Explore musical preference and non-musical preference and is impact on enjoyment and game play.

e. Explore game design and its impact on enjoyment and frequency of game play

f. Investigate variety of gaming levels and motivation and adherence.