Joy-Pros: A Gaming Prosthesis to Enable Para-Esports for Persons With Upper Limb Deficiencies

Abstract

We present an investigation on game controller technology to enable para-esports. First, we present a review of the related literature on the information capacity of the human motor systems in pointing tasks and the evaluation of gaming controllers as pointing devices. Then we propose design criteria for controllers to enables para-esports in terms of target users, controller throughput, cognitive load, and comfort. Finally, we introduce the proposed controller with its rationale and functionality. We argue that the proposed controller is suitable to enable para-esports for persons with upper limb deficiencies because it enables bimanual control of video games like conventional controllers, and due to the achievable throughput and control dimensionality. The conducted experiments address the performance of the developed controller in terms of throughput and latency, and a qualitative evaluation with healthy users using the controller for the first time and with a pilot tester with upper limb deficiency. We conclude that similar to para-sports, paraesports will have to be organized in classes that consider the game type and the type of physical disability of the athletes, and each class will require a controller suitable for its content and participants.INDEX TERMS Para-esports, Prosthetics, Human augmentation.

Max Well-Being: a modular platform for the gamification of rehabilitation

“…The complexity of this mapping process can be referred to as control dimensionality (CD) Mustaquim and Nyström (2014). One of our previous studies explored the control dimensionality of different controller types and used that as a basis for designing a new controller for persons with upper limb deficiencies Hassan et al (2022). Though effective, this process would require creating a special controller for each unique disability or rehabilitation program.…”

Influence of an Esports Program on Problematic Gaming in Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder: A Pilot Study

“…In the medical and welfare fields, various approaches are focusing on the theme of Esports and disabilities [ 11 ]. To utilize as para Esports, a new gaming controller has been developed for persons with upper limb deficiencies [ 12 ]. A notable point, Esports has the potential to enable patients with physical or mental disabilities to play games competitively alongside youths without these disabilities.…”

Accessible Gaming Wearables: Opportunities for Players with Upper Limb Motor Disabilities

“…These include handsfree based devices that utilize eye-gaze [52][53][54], voice control [53,54], or biosignal-based interaction [55,56]. Other studies include touch-based interaction for accessible gaming [57], as well as utilizing accessible switches [58], and one study that did utilize a wearable interaction [59]. However, this device was specifically designed for users missing upper limbs for use in esports.…”

“…It is additionally valuable to explore how to add a high level of physical movement as interaction to games that users already have or want to play. This was explored by Ahmetovic et al [6] in a rehabilitative/exergame context, as well as Hassan et al [59] for esports applications. However, Ahmetovic et al [6] focused on rehabilitative and exergame applications of physical movement for game interaction, which our study…”

“…Though incorporating physical movement in video game interaction is beneficial to users with disabilities, focusing game interaction entirely on rehabilitative purposes does not fulfill the needs of gamers with disabilities and should be balanced with game interaction for entertainment purposes. This concept was explored by Hassan et al [59] for users with limb differences who played esports. This represents one disability demographic and one entertainment video game genre and should likewise be explored with further disability demographics and video game types.…”