Query: gaming used to help people

title: The things we learned on Liberty Island: designing games to help people become competent game players
abstract: The relationship between games and learning has, predominantly, either treated games as potential educational content or only considered the social contexts of learning from games at a general level. A methodology has been developed that permits the detailed analysis of how people learn from particular instances of game play. This is used to study two approaches to playing Deus Ex, one involving the training level and one neglecting this. The study reveals what players learnt, the playing strategies they developed, the way in which these strategies evolved and also how previous experience was transferred to this new context. Conclusions are drawn about the value of training levels and the importance of designing games in a way that recognizes previous gaming experience. The study also has implications for defining game genres, for decisions about the inclusion of design features such as quick saves and for the design of AI scripts.

title: Can "Gaming 2.0" help design "Serious Games" a comparative study
abstract: The "Serious Games" field raises a specific need. People without professional game design skills, such as teachers, corporate trainers, therapists and advertising professionals, request tools that could allow them to create or modify such games. This article will analyze "Gaming 2.0" examples in order to identify tools that could help fulfill this need. Indeed, "Gaming 2.0" is a way for players to create videogame content without skills from the entertainment videogame industry. Can these tools be also used to create "Serious Games" To answer this question, we will first define a simple theoretical model of videogames. This model outlines four "game parts" that players can create through "Gaming 2.0" related tools, and it will be used to provide a comparative analysis of fifteen "Gaming 2.0" examples. From this analysis, insights on the relevance of "Gaming 2.0" for the "Serious Games" field will be drawn.

title: Adaptation of Gaming Features for Motivating Learners
abstract: Many learning environments are quickly deserted by learners, even if they are efficient. Gamification of learning environments is a recent approach used to enhance learners' motivation and participation.  People have various expectations and react differently faced with specific game mechanics. An important goal lies in automatically adapting game mechanics according to player types. In this article, we study the gaming features that can be adapted in learning environments and the player model that can be used for the adaptation process. We propose an approach that aims to predict to which game mechanics a user is responsive, and to adapt the gaming features of the system according to this information.  An implementation was released, and evaluated through an quasi experimental study with 59 middle school students, each one using the learning environment during three 45 minutes sessions.  The results validate the implementation of the system and show that the users' activity can help to predict their profile. The adaptation process did not improve learners' engagement as expected, but it shows a path for future research toward an adaptive approach for learning environment gamification.

title: Taking ownership of gaming and disability
abstract: Gaming among young people with disabilities is often understood within a habilitation frame, as if video and computer games primarily should help to exercise and 'improve' Little is known about how these games are used within a private frame, and how young people with disabilities operate their gaming as concrete persons rather than as treatment receiving clients. Through the use of stories, descriptions, and demonstrations from Swedish youth and young adults with disabilities (muscle diseases, cerebral palsy, and Asperger's syndrome) we explore these gamers' practical maneuvers, verbal accounts, and biographical narrative concerns in relation to digital games. As they strive to bypass or overcome digital inaccessibility, various challenges find their way into their gaming practices, not only to complicate, distract, or disturb them but also to give them extra meaning. Gamer game identifications turn multifaceted, with disabilities serving as paths both around and into the games' 'magical circles' We suggest partly new concepts beyond a habilitation frame to capture how young people struggle to take ownership of gaming and disability: engrossment maintenance, vicarious gamers and biographical as well as situational refuge.

title: Designing Serious Computer Games for People With Moderate and Advanced Dementia: Interdisciplinary Theory Driven Pilot Study
abstract: The field of serious games for people with dementia (PwD) is mostly driven by game design principals typically applied to games created by and for younger individuals. Little has been done developing serious games to help PwD maintain cognition and to support functionality.  We aimed to create a theory based serious game for PwD, with input from a multi disciplinary team familiar with aging, dementia, and gaming theory, as well as direct input from end users (the iterative process) Targeting enhanced self efficacy in daily activities, the goal was to generate a game that is acceptable, accessible and engaging for PwD.  The theory driven game development was based on the following learning theories: learning in context, errorless learning, building on capacities, and acknowledging biological changes all with the aim to boost self efficacy. The iterative participatory process was used for game screen development with input of 34 PwD and 14 healthy community dwelling older adults, aged over 65 years. Development of game screens was informed by the bio psychological aging related disabilities (ie, motor, visual, and perception) as well as remaining neuropsychological capacities (ie, implicit memory) of PwD. At the conclusion of the iterative development process, a prototype game with 39 screens was used for a pilot study with 24 PwD and 14 healthy community dwelling older adults. The game was played twice weekly for 10 weeks.  Quantitative analysis showed that the average speed of successful screen completion was significantly longer for PwD compared with healthy older adults. Both PwD and controls showed an equivalent linear increase in the speed for task completion with practice by the third session (P<.02) Most important, the rate of improved processing speed with practice was not statistically different between PwD and controls. This may imply that some form of learning occurred for PwD at a nonsignificantly different rate than for controls. Qualitative results indicate that PwD found the game engaging and fun. Healthy older adults found the game too easy. Increase in self reported self efficacy was documented with PwD only.  Our study demonstrated that PwD's speed improved with practice at the same rate as healthy older adults. This implies that when tasks are designed to match PwD's abilities, learning ensues. In addition, this pilot study of a serious game, designed for PwD, was accessible, acceptable, and enjoyable for end users. Games designed based on learning theories and input of end users and a multi disciplinary team familiar with dementia and aging may have the potential of maintaining capacity and improving functionality of PwD. A larger longer study is needed to confirm our findings and evaluate the use of these games in assessing cognitive status and functionality.

title: Geocraft as a Means to Support the Development of Smart Cities, Getting the People of the Place Involved Youth Included
abstract: In this paper we present Geocraft, a Geo ICT framework meant to provide the information needed to support the development of smart cities in an accessible and user friendly way. We explored whether Geocraft could be an effective way to get the people of the place, especially youth, involved in geospatial issues.  Geocraft is a virtual environment in which we import real geospatial data into the gaming environment of the popular computer game Minecraft. In Geocraft, we can run real time impact models to virtually simulate and visualise future developments and their implications, providing the user with relevant information during design processes. Geocraft is linked to Spatial Data Infrastructures (SDIs) data generated or added in Geocraft can upgrade existing databases and SDIs. In four use cases, Geocraft is used by children and high school students to address spatial planning challenges with the help of Geocraft.  Geocraft has an appropriate level of abstraction to effectively represent the real world. The use of Geocraft enhances insight in geospatial relations and can raise awareness and insights in a number of geospatial issues. Geocraft can be used to collect the ideas of citizens, in this case children, and engage them in urban planning issues to raise solutions that can reckon on public support. Geocraft can engage thousands of children working on the same geospatial project in the same online Geocraft world. Spatial scenarios designed in Geocraft can be effectively translated into a feasible spatial design and be imported to the digital environment of professional designers. Moreover, Geocraft turned out to be a valuable educational tool to develop typical 21 th century skills: communicating, finding and evaluating information, creating and innovating, collaborating and problem solving. We conclude that as an easy to use smart visualisation tool, in which everybody can build future scenarios, Geocraft can be used to get the people of the place involved with geospatial issues.  We present qualitative research results. In the next step, we will investigate how statistically significant the improvements in learning skills are.  This paper presents a new digital environment facilitating citizen participation and educational processes. We use actual spatial data to transform physical reality into a parallel and playable virtual version of that reality. Herein we can simulate spatial processes and support collaboration. By doing so, we can provide unique visualizations of complex processes, raising insights across the borders of disciplines in an user friendly way.

title: Can a handheld gaming device be used as an effective assistive technology tool?
abstract: The second generation Nintendo DS Lite was launched in Europe during June 2006. The system combines dual screen action with touch screen interaction provided by a stylus in addition to handheld controls. The device includes wireless technology and PictoChat software, allowing users to send messages and drawings to each other. Nintendo's Touch! Generations series of games for the DS has sparked global interest. with Dr Kawashima's Brain Training selling more than 700 000 copies in Europe, the majority to people over 25 years old.  2006) Dr Kawashima's research suggests getting into the habit of training your brain can help to keep it fit, and the package includes a series of challenges that include reading aloud and mental arithmetic. Another Touch! Generations title scheduled to launch in October 2006 is an English training package with a press release stating it is perfect for anyone who has not the time, money or self confidence to take a course (Gamespot, 2006) Having played Trauma Center a game where you become a doctor and perform operations the compelling gaming experience also demonstrates the potential of how academic educational health software packages could be produced and used with great success in this format. The immersive environment puts you under time constraints in a high pressure situation, and you have to remember sequences and techniques from previous operations to utilise in future scenarios though operations can be retried to improve technique and be used as an aide memoir. Learning in an environment similar to this virtual one (even though there are no traditional educational learning outcomes to achieve with Trauma Center) could have huge benefits compared to traditional methods of teaching, thus creating a portable deeper learning experience (Biggs, 2003)

title: Hybrid Brain Computer Interface Based on Gaming Technology: An Approach with Emotiv EEG and Microsoft Kinect
abstract: Brain computer interfaces (BCIs) can be used to improve quality of life of people with motor or communication impairments. However, these systems may not work properly for all users. The complex set up, the intensive training required for BCI operation and the expensive devices often used, difficult the application to real life scenarios, as well as, technology dissemination. Gaming technology devices may help to disseminate this technology and facilitate real life validation due to lower costs and easier set up. This paper presents the integration of gaming technology in a hybrid BCI based on Emotiv EEG and the Microsoft Kinect. This approach enables the collection of visual depth and RGB data from Microsoft Kinect, and electroencephalographic data from Emotiv EEG. Data combination from both devices and online labeling based on Kinect to avoid strict protocols are explored and system potentialities are discussed.

title: Extending a Standard Tablet into an Ocarina Playing Gaming Platform with Projected Parallax Layers
abstract: This paper describes the implementation of a clip on hardware extension to the standard tablet to create a gaming platform that can help people play the 4 hole variation of the ocarina musical instrument. A clip on contraption was used to project the visual output into a physically layered parallax layer to create an interesting visual presentation. The proposed clip on contraption was designed and custom made to fit a standard 10" tablet and a 3D Role Playing Game utilizing the 4 hole ocarina fingering scheme as input was developed as a gamification platform for learning how to play the ocarina.

title: Therapist Perspectives: Wii Active Videogames Use in Inpatient Settings with People Who Have Had a Brain Injury.
abstract: Brain injuries (BIs) are a major public health issue. Clinical experience and literature have identified that it is often challenging to motivate people who have had a BI to engage in repetitive exercises commonly prescribed for rehabilitation. As a result, some therapists include commercial active videogames (AVGs) in their therapy sessions to help make repetitive actions fun and engaging. In this project, we explored how the therapists used commercial AVGs to better understand the major barriers and enablers of use.  We interviewed 17 therapists from two rehabilitation hospitals who work with people who have had a BI. After the interviews were transcribed, we identified salient themes.  At the time of the interviews, therapists were using only the Nintendo(r) (Kyoto, Japan) Wii(tm) console. Common therapeutic goals included balance and weight shifting. Several patient factors, such as cognitive and physical abilities, age, and previous gaming experience, were.