This book emerged out of research done during the period between 2004 and 2016 on the topic of mobile and wearable computing. It did not solely focus on technical solutions and the search for a general approach but also on the question how people can live with this technology. Thus social and organizational aspects were also part of the research. The findings demonstrate the opportunities of serious games and reveal the need of clinical studies when targeting at solutions that are to become part of any kind of therapy. The result is a comprehensive presentation of research findings covering different important aspects in the domain of wearable and pervasive computing for a better life.
Marketing text: This innovative book explores how games can be serious, even though most people generally associate them with entertainment and fun. It demonstrates how videogames can be a valuable tool in clinics and demonstrates how clinicians can use them in physical rehabilitation for various pathologies. It also describes step by step their integration in rehabilitation, from the (gaming) technology used to its application in clinics. Further, drawing on an extensive literature review, it discusses the pros and cons of videogames and how they can help overcome certain obstacles to rehabilitation. The last part of the book examines the main challenges and barriers that still need to be addressed to increase and improve the use and efficacy of this new technology for patients. The book is intended for physiotherapists and clinicians alike, providing a useful tool for all those seeking a comprehensive overview of the field of serious games and considering adding it to conventional rehabilitation treatment.
There is a tremendous interest among researchers for the development of virtual, augmented reality and games technologies due to their widespread applications in medicine and healthcare. To date the major applications of these technologies include medical simulation, telemedicine, medical and healthcare training, pain control, visualisation aid for surgery, rehabilitation in cases such as stroke, phobia and trauma therapies. Many recent studies have identified the benefits of using Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality or serious games in a variety of medical applications. This research volume on Virtual, Augmented Reality and Serious Games for Healthcare 1 offers an insightful introduction to the theories, development and applications of virtual, augmented reality and digital games technologies in medical and clinical settings and healthcare in general. It is divided into six sections: section one presents a selection of applications in medical education and healthcare management; Section two relates to the nursing training, health literacy and healthy behaviour; Section three presents the applications of Virtual Reality in neuropsychology; Section four includes a number of applications in motor rehabilitation; Section five aimed at therapeutic games for various diseases; and the final section presents the applications of Virtual Reality in healing and restoration. This book is directed to the healthcare professionals, scientists, researchers, professors and the students who wish to explore the applications of virtual, augmented reality and serious games in healthcare further.
Digital technologies are currently dramatically changing healthcare. This book introduces the reader to the latest digital innovations in healthcare in fields such as artificial intelligence, points out new ways in patient care and describes the limits of its application. It also offers essential guidance in the form of structured and authoritative contributions by domain experts spanning from artificial intelligence to hospital management to radiology to dentistry to preventive medicine. Furthermore, it shares ideas and experiences of industry veterans, in particular on how IT-driven solutions could solve long-standing issues in the fields of healthcare and hospitalization. It also gives advice on what new digital technologies to consider for becoming a healthcare market leader in the future. Taken together, these contributions provide a “road map” to guide decision makers, physicians, academics, industry representatives and other interested readers to understand the large impact of digital technology on healthcare today and its enormous potential for future development.
With advances in technologies and revolutions in patient, trainee, and public expectations, the global healthcare sector is increasingly turning to serious games to solve problems. Serious games are applications with serious purposes, developed using computer game technologies more often associated with entertainment. Serious Games for Healthcare: Applications and Implications will introduce the development and application of game technologies for health-related serious games. Further, it provides cutting-edge academic research and industry updates which will inform readers about the current and future advances in the area. Encapsulating the knowledge of commercial and noncommercial researchers, developers, and practitioners in a single volume will benefit not only the research and development community within this field, but could also serve public health interests by improving awareness and outcomes.
This textbook provides an introduction to the fundamentals of serious games, which differ considerably from computer games that are meant for pure entertainment. Undergraduate and graduate students from various disciplines who want to learn about serious games are one target group of this book. Prospective developers of serious games are another, as they can use the book for self-study in order to learn about the distinctive features of serious game design and development. And ultimately, the book also addresses prospective users of serious game technologies by providing them with a solid basis for judging the advantages and limitations of serious games in different application areas such as game-based learning, training and simulation or games for health. To cater to this heterogeneous readership and wide range of interests, every effort was made to make the book flexible to use. All readers are expected to study Chapter 1, as it provides the necessary basics and terminology that will be used in all subsequent chapters. The eleven chapters that follow cover the creation of serious games (design, authoring processes and tools, content production), the runtime context of serious games (game engines, adaptation mechanisms, game balancing, game mastering, multi-player serious games), the effects of serious games and their evaluation (player experience, assessment techniques, performance indicators), and serious games in practice (economic aspects, cost-benefit analysis, serious game distribution). To familiarize the readers with best practice in this field, the final chapter presents more than 30 selected examples of serious games illustrating their characteristics and showcasing their practical use. Lecturers can select chapters in a sequence that is most suitable for their specific course or seminar. The book includes specific suggestions for courses such as “Introduction to Serious Games”, “Entertainment Technology”, “Serious Game Design”, “Game-based Learning”, and “Applications of Serious Games”.
Over the past decade, the healthcare industry has adopted games as a powerful tool for promoting personal health and wellness. Utilizing principles of gamification to engage patients with positive reinforcement, these games promote stronger attention to clinical and self-care guidelines, and offer exciting possibilities for primary prevention. Targeting an audience of academics, researchers, practitioners, healthcare professionals, and even patients, the Handbook of Research on Holistic Perspectives in Gamification for Clinical Practices reviews current studies and empirical evidence, highlights critical principles of gamification, and fosters the increasing application of games at the practical, clinical level.
This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Serious Games Development and Applications, SGDA 2012, held in Bremen, Germany in September 2012. The 22 revised full papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected from numerous submissions. The papers cover various topics on serious games including engineering, education, health care, military applications, game design, game study, game theories, virtual reality, 3D visualisation and medical applications of games technology.
"This book presents research on the most recent technological developments in all fields of knowledge or disciplines of computer games development, including planning, design, development, marketing, business management, users and behavior"--Provided by publisher.
Gaming is increasingly prevalent in our society and everyday lives as a form of leisure or competition. The typical aim of gaming is to gain a pleasant experience from the game. Because of the saturation of gaming in global society, the gamification concept and its operationalization in non-gaming contexts has become a growing practice. This technological novelty is the basis for an innovative change in many types of environments such as education, commerce, marketing, work, health, governance, and sustainability, among others. The service sector especially has shown widespread adoption of the method as it seeks to increase and motivate audiences and promote brands. However, little research is available on the adoption of gamification in organizations, leading to a need for literature that investigates best practices for utilization and implementation. The Handbook of Research on Cross-Disciplinary Uses of Gamification in Organizations is a comprehensive and timely reference book that explores the field of gamification for economic and social development. This book provides dynamic research from this emerging field. Covering topics such as distance learning, health behaviors, and workplace training, this book is a valuable reference for researchers, marketing managers, students, managers, executives, software developers, IT specialists, technology developers, faculty of P-12 and higher education, teachers, professors, government officials, and academicians.
