Interactive games using hand-eye coordination method for autistic children therapy

Abstract

Recent studies have found that imbalanced motor skills (hand-eye coordination) among autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or autistic children cause lower efficiency in daily routines. Autistic children need long-term rehabilitation programs to improve their abilities. However, problems with a lack of motivation to participate in conventional therapy and the high cost of therapy sessions arise over time. Autism children are necessary to do repetitive activities every time through therapy sessions. Repetitive activities cause children having less interest to participate in ongoing therapy sessions. Besides, the therapy process usually requires a long time to be implemented that cause the relatively high cost had to be paid by the patient's family. The use of technology is seen as more effective and less annoying for a child with autism. However, the use of games technology requires the gamer to hold a game controller. Proposals for motion-based toothless games using NUI technology, such as the Kinect Xbox 360, to be used in rehabilitation are exciting for patients, but the design elements do not meet the requirements of autistic people. Hence, this research proposes a Kinect game based on design elements for autistic rehabilitation. The objective of this research is to identify a symptom of eye-hand coordination problem and develop a severe game using Kinect technology as the solution to the problem faced by autism children. This technology provides a low-budget solution costs of therapy and games base on the 3D sensor without the use of control equipment which must behold or touch by hand. Moreover, Kinect does not need a controller or additional body-worn attachment during play time. A game prototype was developed and measured, and evaluation resulted in positive feedback from the user and therapists, thus meeting the objective of this study.