Integrating Serious Games and Tangible Objects for Functional Handgrip Training: A User Study of Handly in Persons with Multiple Sclerosis

We present Handly, an integrated upper-limb rehabilitation system for persons with a neurological disorder. Handly consists of tangibles for training four hand tasks with specific functional handgrips and a motivational game. These persons need intensive personalized therapy in order to sustain or enhance their abilities and aptitude in daily activities. Conventional approaches require intense support by a therapist or usage of expensive robots, both of which are not a sustainable model of training. Handly combines tangibles specifically designed for repetitive task-oriented motor skill training of typical daily activities with serious gaming, thus offering a comprehensive approach. A feedback mechanism guides the user and an accessible game environment stimulates individual training. We performed an initial evaluation of Handly with eight persons with Multiple Sclerosis. We show that a tangible virtual environment for intensive upper-limb rehabilitation is feasible and that this approach is highly appreciated by the patients.