IC32: Applying Game Design Theory in Immersive Virtual Reality Rehabilitation Gaming Design

Immersive virtual reality (VR) is an emerging technology that holds great potential to create experiences that improve engagement of individuals in rehabilitation programs. Effective use of this tool, however, requires collaboration between healthcare professionals, engineers and game designers to create experiences that increase immersion while providing a fun experience that effectively targets a clinicians needs for their patients. In this course, attendees will 1) play a variety of virtual reality experiences, 2) learn a theoretical framework for game design, 3) obtain an introduction to the technology that dictates constraints of game development and 4) apply this knowledge by creating an original simple virtual reality exercise game! As a result of this course, attendees will learn the potential for virtual reality game design in rehabilitation through firsthand experience and leave with the tools to build their own virtual reality exergaming experiences and/or collaborate more effectively with engineers and game designers.