Biography
Biography: Deborah Won
Abstract
Through the use of wireless sensing technology, the exergaming industry has produced exciting entertainment systems help people to get and stay fit. The commercial systems known to the authors which would help improve cardiovascular fitness require users to position themselves appropriately with respect to cameras and sensors, to step on mats, and/or move their lower limbs for physical activities ranging from dancing to climbing. These systems are not accessible for individuals who use wheelchairs. Individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) often experience long-term decline in cardiovascular health because of the barriers that lower limb mobility impairment creates to cardiovascularly conditioning physical activity. In a previous article, we presented the feasiblity of wireless EMG (electromyography) sensors to enable a mobile fitness system for people in wheelchairs. Here, we present games developed for the Android mobile app platform which facilitate exercises that are known to be feasible and appropriate for individuals with SCI to maintain and even improve cardiovascular fitness in the comfort and convenience of their own homes. We developed three app activities which each gamify exercises that are targeted for people with SCI and use wheelchairs: 1) stationary spinning on a stationary wheelchair trainer (the Invictus Active Trainer, Wolverhampton, UK); 2) strength training using resistance arm bands (Theraband, Akron, OH); and 3) air boxing to implement a repetetive high frequency “exchange” exercise. Each exercise utilizes EMG wireless sensors to drive game play and provide feedback to the user.