Agent-based monitoring of functional rehabilitation via the use of video games

In recent years, there has been an increasing trend towards using video games for health applications. In particular interactive video games, where an individual interacts with the game by moving their limbs or whole body, have started to find application in the field of rehabilitation medicine. The often dull and repetitive nature of rehabilitation exercise can be transformed into an activity to which patients happily adhere via the use of engaging video games that are enjoyable to play. One additional potential benefit of video game use in rehabilitation is that patients can continue to interact with the video game system in their own home following discharge from hospital. As such, video games may offer a means for rehabilitation specialists to remotely assess compliance of patients with their rehabilitation therapy and monitor changes in function over time. Although the use of technology for monitoring health at home is now widespread, an as yet unexplored challenge lies in integrating information technologies with rehabilitation games. This keeps the health professional informed about compliance and progress of the video game exercise, while the patient performs her/his prescribed rehabilitation routine at home. Therefore, there is a strong need for a computational framework to support the medical professional and patient by using an agent-based architecture. Agents are pieces of software that act on behalf of human roles, involved in rehabilitation process. The objective of this chapter is to thus address major issues in designing an agent-based mobile monitoring system for rehabilitation treatments. The chapter also suggests how to remotely measure the patient’s progress in rehabilitation treatments while the patient plays video games at home.