Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Engaging Children in Play Therapy: The Coupling of Virtual Reality Games with Social Robotics

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Technologies of Inclusive Well-Being

Part of the book series: Studies in Computational Intelligence ((SCI,volume 536))

Abstract

Individuals who have impairments in their motor skills typically engage in rehabilitation protocols to improve the recovery of their motor functions. In general, engaging in physical therapy can be tedious and difficult, which can result in demotivating the individual. This is especially true for children who are more susceptible to frustration. Thus, different virtual reality environments and play therapy systems have been developed with the goal of increasing the motivation of individuals engaged in physical therapy. However, although previously developed systems have proven to be effective for the general population, the majority of these systems are not focused on engaging children. Given this motivation, we discuss two technologies that have been shown to positively engage children who are undergoing physical therapy. The first is called the Super Pop VR™ game; a virtual reality environment that not only increases the child’s motivation to continue with his/her therapy exercises, but also provides feedback and tracking of patient performance during game play. The second technology integrates robotics into the virtual gaming scenario through social engagement in order to further maintain the child’s attention when engaged with the system. Results from preliminary studies with typically-developing children have shown their effectiveness. In this chapter, we discuss the functions and advantages of these technologies, and their potential for being integrated into the child’s intervention protocol.

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

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Bax, M., Goldstein, M., Rosenbaum, P., Leviton, A., Paneth, N.: Proposed definition and classification of cerebral palsy. Dev. Med. Child Neurol. 47(8), 571–576 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Howard, A.: Robots learn to play: Robots emerging role in pediatric therapy. In: 26th International Florida Artificial Intelligence Research Society Conference, May 2013

    Google Scholar 

  3. Piaget, J.: Play, Dreams and Imitation in Childhood. Routledge and Kegan Paul Ltd., London (1951)

    Google Scholar 

  4. Chen, Y., Kang, L., Chuang, T., Doong, J., Lee, S., Sai, M.T., Jeng, S., Sung, W.: Use of virtual reality to improve upper-extremity control in children with cerebral palsy: a single-subject design. Phys. Ther.: J. Am. Phys. Ther. Assoc. 87(11), 1440–1454 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Colombo, R., Pisano, F., Mazzone, A., Delconte, C., Micera, S., Carrozza, M., Dario, P., Minuco, G.: Design strategies to improve patient motivation during robot-aided rehabilitation. J. NeuroEng. Rehabil. 4(3), 1–12 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  6. Cioi, D., Kale, A., Burdea, G., Engsberg, J., Janes, W., Ross, S.: Ankle control and strength training for children with cerebral palsy using the Rutgers Ankle CP: A case study. In: IEEE International Conference Rehabilitation Robot (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  7. Brütsch, K., Schuler, T., Koenig, A., Zimmerli, L., Koeneke, S.M., Lünenburger, L., Riener, R., Jäncke, L., Meyer-Heim, A.: Influence of virtual reality soccer game on walking performance in robotic assisted gait training for children. J. Neuroeng. Rehabil. 7, 15 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Loureiro, R., Amirabdollahian, F., Topping, M., Driessen, B., Harwin, W.: Upper limb robot mediated stroke therapy gentle/s approach. Auton. Robots 15, 35–51 (2003). doi:10.1023/A:1024436732030

    Google Scholar 

  9. Dautenhahn, K., et al.: KASPAR—a minimally expressive humanoid robot for human-robot interaction research. Appl. Bionics Biomech. 6(3), 369–397 (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  10. Brisben, A., Safos, C., Lockerd, A., Vice, J., Lathan, C.: The cosmobot system: Evaluating its usability in therapy sessions with children diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Retrieved on 3, No. 5 (13) (2005). http://web.mit.edu/zoz/Public/AnthroTronix-ROMAN2005.pdf

  11. Dautenhahn, K., Billard, A.: Games children with autism can play with robota, a humanoid robotic doll. In: Cambridge Workshop on Universal Access and Assistive Technology, pp. 179–190 (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  12. Kronreif, G., Prazak, B., Mina, S., Kornfeld, M., Meindl, M., Furst, F.: Playrob—robot-assisted playing for children with severe physical disabilities. In: IEEE 9th International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  13. Topping, M.: An overview of the development of handy 1, a rehabilitation robot to assist the severely disabled. J. Intell. Rob. Syst. 34(3), 253–263 (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  14. Cook, A.M., Meng, M.Q., Gu, J.J., Howery, K.: Development of a robotic device for facilitating learning by children who have severe disabilities. Neural Syst. Rehabil. Eng. 10(3), 178–187 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Reid, D.: Benefits of a virtual play rehabilitation environment for children with cerebral palsy on perceptions of self-efficacy: a pilot study. Pediatr. Rehabil. 5(3), 141–148 (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  16. Bryanton, C., Bossé, J., Brien, M., McLean, J., Mccormick, A., Sveistrup, H.: Feasibility, motivation, and selective motor control: virtual reality compared to conventional home exercise in children with cerebral palsy. CyberPsycology Behav. 9(2), 123–128 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Golomb, M., McDonald, B., Warden, S., Yonkman, J., Saykin, A., Shirley, B., Huber, M., Rabin, B., AbdelBaky, M., Nwosu, M., Barkat-Masth, M., Burdea, G.: In-Home virtual reality videogame telerehabilitation in adolescents with hemiplegic cerebral palsy. Arch. Phys. Med. Rehabil. 91(1), 1–8 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

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

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Jannink, M., Van Der Wilden, G., Navis, D., Visser, G., Gussinklo, J., Ijzerman, M.: A low-cost video game applied for training of upper extremity function in children with cerebral palsy: a pilot study. CyberPsychology Behav. 11(1), 27–32 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Brooks, D., Howard, A.: Quantifying upper-arm rehabilitation metrics for children through interaction with a humanoid robot. Appl. Bionics Biomech. 9(2), 157–172 (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  21. Reid, D.: The influence of virtual reality on playfulness in children with cerebral palsy: a pilot study. Occup. Ther. Int. 11(3), 131–144 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Zhang, Z.: Microsoft kinect sensor and its effect. IEEE Multimedia 19(2), 4–10 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. García-Vergara, S., Chen, Y.P., Howard, A.: Super pop VRTM: An adaptable virtual reality game for upper-body rehabilitation. In: 5th International Conference on Virtual, Augmented, and Mixed Reality held as part of HCI International, vol. 8022, pp. 44–49 (2013)

    Google Scholar 

  24. Hidding, A., van der Linden, S., Boers, M., Gielen, X., de Witte, L., Kester, A., Dijkmans, B., Boolenburgh, D.: Is group physical therapy superior to individualized therapy in ankylosing spondylitis? A randomized controlled trial. Arthritis Rheum. Am. Coll. Rheumatol. 6(3), 117–125 (1993)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Feil-Seifer, D., Matarić, M.J.: Defining socially assistive robotics. In: IEEE International Conference on Rehabilitation Robotics (ICORR-05), Chicago, IL, pp. 465–468 (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  26. Kidd, C., Breazeal, C.: Robots at home: Understanding long-term human-robot interaction. In: IROS, pp. 3230–3235 (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  27. Powers, A., Kiesler, S., Fussell, S., Torre, C.: Comparing a computer agent with a humanoid robot. In: HRI, pp. 145–152, March 2007

    Google Scholar 

  28. Saerbeck, M., Schut, T., Bartneck, C., Janse, M.: Expressive robots in education: Varying the degree of social supportive behavior of a robotic tutor. In: CHI, pp. 1613–1622 (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  29. Park, E., Kim, K., Pobil, A.: The effects of a robot instructor’s positive vs. negative feedbacks on attraction and acceptance towards the robot in classroom. In: ICSR, pp. 135–141 (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  30. Szafir, D., Mutlu, B.: Pay attention! Designing adaptive agents that monitor and improve user engagement. In: CHI, May 2012

    Google Scholar 

  31. Ha, I., Tamura, Y., Asama, H., Han, J., Hong, D.: Development of open humanoid platform darwin-op. In: SICE, pp. 2178–2181 (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  32. Brown, L., Howard, A.: Engaging children in math education using a socially interactive humanoid robot. In: IEEE-RAS International Conference on Humanoid Robots, Atlanta, GA, 2013

    Google Scholar 

  33. Baker, R., D’Mello, S., Mercedes, M., Rodrigo, T., Graesser, A.: Better to be frustrated than bored: the incidence, persistence, and impact of learners’ cognitive–affective states during interactions with three different computer-based learning environments. Int. J. Hum Comput. Stud. 68, 223–241 (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  34. Gartner, A.: Children Teach Children: Learning by Teaching. Harper & Row, New York (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  35. Kolodner, J.L.: An introduction to case-based reasoning. Artif. Intell. Rev. 6(1), 3–34 (1992)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Park, H.W., Howard, A.: Case-based reasoning for planning turn-taking strategy with a therapeutic robot playmate. In: IEEE International Conference on Biomedical Robotics and Biomechatronics, Japan, pp. 40–45, Sept 2010

    Google Scholar 

  37. Mackenzie, I.S.: Movement time prediction in human-computer interfaces: a brief tour on Fitt’s law. Proc. Graph. Interface 92, 140–150 (1992)

    Google Scholar 

  38. Hofsten, C.: Structuring of early reaching movements: a longitudinal study. J. Mot. Behav. 23(4), 280–292 (1991)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship under Grant No. DGE-1148903 and under Grant No. 1208287. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 85 5th Street NW, Atlanta, GA, 30308, USA

    Sergio García-Vergara, LaVonda Brown, Hae Won Park & Ayanna M. Howard

Authors
  1. Sergio García-Vergara
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. LaVonda Brown
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Hae Won Park
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Ayanna M. Howard
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sergio García-Vergara .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Architecture, Design and Media Technology, Aalborg University, Esbjerg, Denmark

    Anthony Lewis Brooks

  2. Computer Information Systems, Missouri State University, Springfield, Massachusetts, USA

    Sheryl Brahnam

  3. Faculty of Education, Science, Technology & Mathematics, University of Canberra, Canberra, Australia

    Lakhmi C. Jain

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

García-Vergara, S., Brown, L., Park, H.W., Howard, A.M. (2014). Engaging Children in Play Therapy: The Coupling of Virtual Reality Games with Social Robotics. In: Brooks, A., Brahnam, S., Jain, L. (eds) Technologies of Inclusive Well-Being. Studies in Computational Intelligence, vol 536. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-45432-5_8

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-45432-5_8

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-45431-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-45432-5

  • eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation