An Elderly-Oriented Platform to Simplify the Use of Physical Activity Controlled Game Consoles

In this paper, a new method to facilitate the performance of physical activity in the elderly is proposed. The rising number of retirees needing assistance from social security systems makes it necessary to focus resources rather on prevention than in treatment of illnesses, to allow a longer independent life in the home environment. The proposed system is based on the implementation of modern game consoles, which demand body movements to control the player’s performance in a highly-motivating context. Previous studies suggest that these virtual game environments could contribute to increase physical activity. Goal of this project is to simplify the use of these new technologies for senior people, paying special attention to an elderly-oriented design both in mechanical and functional aspects. Test sessions with potential users have been performed to test whether the functionality of the developed device effectively increases the interest of the elderly in motion-controlled virtual games. Further experiments are being planned in order to receive more feedback and accordingly refine the development process.