Robot games for elderly

Abstract

This video presents a study on how a physical game based on a mobile robot can be used as a persuasive tool for promoting physical activity among elderly. The goal of the game is to take a ball from a robot, and afterwards try to hand it back while the robot moves. The robot records the behavior patterns of each individual player and gradually adapts the challenge of the game to the player's skill. The game was investigated in two independent field studies. The primary goal was to observe how the robot adapts to players with different mobility problems, secondly to obtain knowledge about the different play patterns and get ideas about future improvements of the game. The video shows different examples of how the elderly would play with the robot and illustrates the variety of play styles.