Using a trans-disciplinary and trans-institutional team approach and co-design principles to develop an accessible serious gaming system for children with limited hand function

This paper describes the design process that was used to design and develop a stand-alone, home-based, customised and accessible ‘serious gaming’ (SG) system for children with hand impairments. Hand impairments, typically resulting from conditions such as cerebral palsy (CP), prevent access and the appropriate use of the full range of control options available from commercially available controllers for gaming systems such as the Microsoft Xbox or Sony PlayStation. This lack of engagement and participation in a popular mainstream activity can lead to feelings of frustration and annoyance and a sense of peer exclusion. The aim of this project was to design and develop an accessible SG system that was engaging, fun to use, and provided a new form of therapy. A trans-disciplinary and trans-institutional team incorporating Biomedical Engineering, Industrial Design, Computer Science, Information Technology, Digital Media, Rehabilitation Medicine and Allied Health provided professional expertise through a co-design process involving children with and without hand impairments. The design and development process took just over thirty months from problem analysis through to the finished product. Known as the ‘OrbIT Gaming System’, the final product provides an integrated software and hardware solution for children with hand impairments who want to play computer games. The System includes fifteen two and three dimensional games, an integrated menu system, and full data-logging capability. A structured stage-gate product development process was used to produce a novel ‘orb’ shaped controller (nicknamed ‘Orby’) that players use to control their game character.