Dear AEPS students,

 

I am sharing the abstract of an interesting seminar organized by prof. Ognibene and that may be of interest for all AEPS students. For further information, feel free to contact prof. Ognibene (dimitri.ognibene@unimib.it),

 

Kind regards

Giulio Costantini

 

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Speaker:  Dr Aikaterini Bourazeri,  University of Essex 

Title:   Bringing Play to Therapy: Gamified Rehabilitation Tools in Action

 

https://elearning.unimib.it/course/view.php?id=59770

 

Abstract:  Traditional rehabilitation approaches often face challenges related to patient engagement and adherence, particularly among paediatric and older populations. This talk will explore how gamification and immersive technologies can enhance rehabilitation by transforming repetitive exercises into interactive, motivating experiences. Three gamified rehabilitation tools will be introduced: the “Hungry Hamster” finger ladder and the “Treasure Hunter” shoulder wheel developed in collaboration with clinicians at the Child Rehabilitation and Inclusion Center (CRIT) in Morelia, Mexico, as well as a virtual reality-based upper limb rehabilitation application for stroke survivors, created in partnership with Centro Puzzle, a specialist rehabilitation center in Turin, Italy. These tools integrate real-time feedback, adaptive progression, and narrative-driven interaction to improve user motivation and therapeutic outcomes. Drawing on interdisciplinary methods from design, engineering, and clinical research, the talk will offer insights into the opportunities and challenges of embedding game-based systems in healthcare contexts. By highlighting both user experience and clinical efficacy, the talk will address the broader potential of serious games as tools for empowerment, engagement, and recovery in rehabilitation.