Development a Virtual Game to Stimulate Grip and Pinch Movements

Abstract

By using new technologies in electronic games, virtual environments come up with the proposal of simulating daily routines. This research has intended to design a virtual game focused on performing palmar grip, cylindrical grip and tip-to-tip pinch movements. A virtual game was designed in three different stages, the first of which stage aiming to stimulate the palmar grip movement, the second one stage to stimulate the tip-to-tip pinch movement, while the third stage focused on furthering the cylindrical grip movement. The game features a timer, which determines three minutes for each stage, while the player’s performance is recorded in order to measure his or her progress in performing each movement. In order to activate the virtual game, it is required using a device to capture hand movements, named Leap Motion controller. By doing that, it is possible to interact with and move characters in the game. During software engineering tests, no operational problems were found in the system. The virtual game is able to stimulate in a playful manner the grip and pinch movements and can be a tool used for training such movements.