Collective Projects
Design, Development and Evaluation of Therapeutic Digital Games
Period: 2013-2015
Description: Therapeutic Games aim to support the rehabilitation treatments and help patients to understand, be motivated and persist in therapeutic practices. They are also used by healthcare professionals to help patients to relax, express their feelings and improve their skills and interpersonal relationships. Despite the increasing use of digital therapeutic games in recent years, research on the development of these systems, in computing, is still incipient. This project aims to investigate the subject considering the whole development life cycle of therapeutic games (design, implementation and evaluation). Besides the holistic view, the scenario requires a research approach guided by theoretical frameworks that consider an interpersonal, social and cultural perspective for the development of these computer systems. Thus, it will be adopted the theoretical and methodological framework of Organizational Semiotics and the Participatory Design. This project aims to contribute to the (i) formalization of a methodology for the design of therapeutic games to consider the participation of professionals in the fields of computing and health, as well as family and patients, when possible, (ii) construction of a game engine that facilitates the implementation of flexible games which have the same gameplay, but offer different ways of presenting the user interface according to the users specifics and ( iii ) propose an approach for evaluating games that consider emotional aspects, particularly those related to persuasion, guided in collecting and mining data during the interaction time.
Partners: Hospital Espírita de Marília (HEM), Lince – UFSCar, LaSDPC – USP São Carlos.
Senior and the Discovery and Interaction with Information and Communication Technologies
Period: 2011-2012
Description: This project aims to facilitate to part of the elderly population of São Carlos, the contact with brand-new Information and Communication Technologies, like touch cell phones, digital TVs, tablets and personal computers. In addition to providing seniors with a positive and enjoyable experience, that may mitigate possible apathy caused by inexperience or frustrating past experiences, amortize the fear of damaging the equipment and encourage the reuse of these technologies; the involved computer science researchers expect to clarify , with the elderly, the requirements for the development and/or improvement of the technologies used. In a partnership with the São Carlos city hall, this project counted with the participation of elderly from the Reference Center for Social Assistance (CRAS, in its Portuguese acronym) of the Santa Felicia neighborhood. The implementation of this project was still a way to start a process of digital inclusion and approaching the elderly audience, entertain them and show that the technology can be used as an ally in the experiences of everyday life.
Partners: Hospital Espírita de Marília (HEM), Lince – UFSCar, LaSDPC – USP São Carlos.
For information on individual research projects, visit Members.
