Key factors that influence the UX of a dual-player game for the cognitive stimulation and motor rehabilitation of older adults

In this work, the results of usability and user experience (UX) evaluation of a serious video game for the cognitive stimulation and motor rehabilitation of the upper limb of the elderly are presented. The serious game includes features that allow (1) performing cooperative therapy exercises between two patients, (2) remote session configuration therapy, and (3) monitoring/analyzing the sessions’ results by the therapist. An evaluation of the game with 16 older adults provides evidence about how the tool is perceived by participants, who embraced it as stimulating, useful, usable and even fun, and which impacts in therapy compliance and acceptability by the elderly. In addition, through an in depth analysis of the participants’ performance and observed emotions, as well as their self-report, we determined which engagement attributes are present in the game. Finally, we also found evidence that suggests that the participants’ skill level and the game difficulty level rather than just a good performance on the game are key factors that influence their enjoyment and frustration.