SBIR-STTR Award

The activity level of people tends to decrease after a spinal cord injury. Studies have reported that daily wheelchair propulsion activity level of an individual with a spinal cord injury (SCI) is not sufficient to maintain or improve their cardiovascular fitness level. Sedentary individuals with paraplegia and tetraplegia have low maximal oxygen consumption. Research has shown that sedentary individuals with SCI are less fit than either their physically active counterparts or the sedentary unimpaired population and other research reports maximum oxygen uptake for people with paraplegia is lower than ambulatory subjects. Research shows that with a sedentary lifestyle and lower rate of maximum oxygen consumption, cardiovascular diseases are an increasing health concern for wheelchair users and the SCI population. We have been studying exercise systems for people with lower extremity impairments. Our previous efforts have resulted in training rollers, the GAMEwheel system, and the SMARTwheel. This proposal builds upon this previous work and experience. We have shown that the GAMEwheel can help people to exercise and possibly reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. However, research with the SMARTwheel shows that the GAMEwheel systems tends to cause people to shorten their stroke and increase their stroke frequency which have been shown to be related to joint degeneration. We propose a simpler and more universal concept based upon a modified arm-ergometer, named the GAMEcycle. The will be based upon an arm-ergometer placed on a turnstile to allow steering in much the same way as an arm-cycle. Sensors on the sprocket of the arm ergometer will be used to record the speed, and sensors on the turnstile will be used to record the direction. The speed and direction signals will be used through the game port of personal computer to control commercially available computer games.

Wheelchair users benefit from exercise through reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, better functioning in the activities of daily living, increased self-esteem, and improved rehabilitation outcomes. Unfortunately, wheelchair users report that the exercise options they have provide little motivation to exercise. There is a need to create environments in which people in wheelchairs are able and motivated to exercise. The GAMECycle addresses this need by merging exercise with videogame playing. In Phase I, lab testing demonstrated that the GAMECycle allows users to maintain target aerobic training levels, and was perceived by users as fun and as likely to enhance their motivation to exercise more frequently. In Phase II, we will further refine the design of the GAMECycle by 1) improving the stability of the system to minimize vibrations even when exercising vigorously, 2) maximizing the user's capabilities within the videogame context and expanding the variety of videogames with which the system is compatible, 3) enhancing the extent to which the system can be modified to meet the needs of the user, and 4) readying the system for commercial production. We will also place the refined prototype in rehab facilities and in the homes of end-users for a four-month trial for more extensive testing and evaluation of the GAMECycle, as compared with a standard arm-ergometer. The design improvements coupled with extensive off-site testing will insure the commercial viability of the GAMECycle, both as a product for individual in-home use, and as a product for institutions interested in better meeting the needs of their clients.

Thesaurus Terms:
exercise, technology /technique development assistive device /technology, body physical activity, occupational therapy, physical therapy clinical research, human subject, questionnaire