Novel Aphasia Games for Health (Analog Version)

University of Pittsburgh researchers have developed a series of analog games designed to aid in the rehabilitation of individuals with aphasia, a language disorder caused by stroke and other brain injuries. These games are specifically crafted to improve language function and combat social isolation, offering a novel approach to long-term aphasia treatment. The games incorporate restorative and compensatory rehabilitation principles, making them both effective and engaging for people with aphasia.

Description

Aphasia is a language disorder that affects millions of people in the United States, leading to significant language deficits and social isolation. The developed games are physical (analog) games such as board and card games, designed to be played both in-person and remotely via video conferencing platforms like Skype. These games are based on principles of state-dependent neuroplasticity, aiming to strengthen and reshape the language network in the brain through intensive behavioral drills. The games are co-designed with aphasia community stakeholders to ensure they are fun, engaging, and effective.

Applications

- Language rehabilitation
- Social engagement for people with aphasia
- Group therapy sessions
- Remote therapy via video conferencing

Advantages

These games are specifically designed to improve language function in people with aphasia while combating social isolation by providing a fun and engaging activity. They can be played both in-person and remotely, increasing accessibility. The games incorporate proven rehabilitation principles in a game format and are co-designed with aphasia community stakeholders to ensure efficacy and engagement.

Invention Readiness

The concept of these aphasia rehabilitation games is in the development phase. The games are designed to be played by small groups, either of people with aphasia or mixed groups including neurotypical individuals. The design process involves collaboration with professional game designers, aphasia rehabilitation experts, and members of the aphasia community to ensure the games are both effective and enjoyable. Experimental details include the incorporation of principles such as semantic activation/interference, phonological competition, repetition with spaced retrieval, effortful vs. errorless memory retrieval, cuing hierarchies, and self-cuing strategies.

IP Status

Copyright