Exergames for hand rehabilitation in elders using Leap Motion Controller: A feasibility pilot study

As the average age of the global population increases, applications that are suited for the elderly and consider the limitations brought on by aging will become more critical. Exergames are one of these applications that can be helpful for the elderly, especially in the prevention and treatment of physical and mental diseases. This study aims to create and implement four exergames for elders’ hand rehabilitation. As a rehabilitation tool, the Leap Motion Controller (LMC) is used to capture physiological hand joints and track the movement of hands. A pilot study involving ten elderly participants was carried out to assess the feasibility of the proposed LMC-based exergames. The outcomes of performing traditional exercises with playing designed games were compared. An assessment was carried out based on questionnaires in the field of user satisfaction, user experience, and user engagement with the system. According to the findings, gamified exercises are more motivating and can result in greater performance than traditional methods. The results demonstrate the potential of the LMC-based exergames serious games proposed in this paper as a promising tool for elder rehabilitation. [Display omitted] •Gamified hand rehabilitation exercises are more motivating than traditional exercises•Exergames based on a leap motion controller can increase the elderly’s satisfaction•Gamified exercises result in greater performance than traditional exercises•The rehabilitation games can increase the elders’ level of independence•LMC-based serious games can be used as a promising tool for hand rehabilitation