{"id":148628,"date":"2025-08-15T15:08:54","date_gmt":"2025-08-15T19:08:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/?p=148628"},"modified":"2025-09-16T17:07:42","modified_gmt":"2025-09-16T21:07:42","slug":"limbitless-solutions-gamified-training-empowers-patients-to-master-prostheses-and-specialized-wheelchairs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/limbitless-solutions-gamified-training-empowers-patients-to-master-prostheses-and-specialized-wheelchairs\/","title":{"rendered":"Limbitless Solutions\u2019 Gamified Training Empowers Patients to Master Prostheses and Specialized Wheelchairs"},"content":{"rendered":"

Limbitless Solutions continues to reach the next level in connecting people with accessible medical technologies through its gamified training research<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The UCF-based nonprofit celebrated 10 years<\/a> of developing and creating pediatric prostheses in 2024 and is also renowned for its complementary advancements in gamified training that empower patients to master their accessible medical<\/a> technologies.<\/p>\n

Limbitless researchers recently published two new studies aimed at improving training games. One, published in Simulation & Gaming<\/em><\/a>, explores how machine learning may streamline level design for bionic arm training games. The other, a playtest study published in Applied Sciences<\/em><\/a>, evaluates the efficacy of a new training game to assist patients with severely limited mobility who use an eye-tracking wheelchair.<\/p>\n

Together these two studies exemplify Limbitless\u2019 continued commitment to ensuring patients feel connected to the new technologies they receive, gain confidence in overcoming their conditions and ultimately transform their lives.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese games are now fully integrated into the Limbitless experience,\u201d says Peter Smith<\/strong> \u201905MS \u201912PhD<\/strong>, Limbitless\u2019 head of game development and training, associate professor and director of the games and interactive media program within the Nicholson School of Communication and Media. \u201cThe kids get the games first to learn to use and strengthen muscles they may not have needed to use before. The goal is to have the kids practice and learn in the games, and have all their failures in the games so that when they get their arms, they are immediately successful.\u201d<\/p>\n

The researchers at Limbitless aim to give patients comprehensive care. It isn\u2019t enough to provide a bionic arm, nor is it enough to make a game that\u2019s just fun but lacking in training, says Limbitless Creative Director Matt Dombrowski \u201905 \u201908MFA<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\u201cLimbitless is more than technology, games or picking things up \u2014 it\u2019s about giving children with limb differences agency,\u201d says Dombrowski, who\u2019s also a professor at UCF\u2019s School of Visual Arts and Design (SVAD). \u201cThe training games are designed to be the first step on that journey to build trust, excitement and self-belief through play. Embedding this development inside SVAD and Nicholson, with guidance from Peter and I, we ensure the work stays grounded in both creative innovation and research-backed methodology.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe training games are designed to be the first step on that journey to build trust, excitement and self-belief through play.” \u2014 UCF Professor and Limbitless Creative Director Matt Dombrowski \u201905 \u201908MFA<\/strong>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The idea of using immersive gamified training was conceived early on, says Albert Manero \u201912 \u201914MS \u201916PhD<\/strong>, executive director and co-founder of Limbitless Solutions.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of our colleagues here at Limbitless reached out to some of the faculty at SVAD and asked them if they could help create some of the cosmetic components of the prosthetic limbs,\u201d Manero says. \u201cOne of those faculty members countered with, \u2018Have you ever considered making video games around these arms?\u2019  Ever since then, it’s just kind of snowballed into what we have here today, which is being able to improve the quality of the training and the onboarding for our patients, whether those are with the bionic arms or the face gesture-controlled wheelchair.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Journey Forward<\/h2>\n

Limbitless\u2019 Project Xavier is a specialized wheelchair that uses the same electromyographic (EMG) technology used in the bionic arms to power an electric wheelchair completely hands-free. It works by using a sensor placed on a person\u2019s temple to detect subtle facial movements and translate them into directional control.<\/p>\n

The wheelchair is designed to help people with limited mobility, such as those with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), regain autonomy and use some of the muscles that are the last to lose function as the condition progresses.<\/p>\n

Their recently published research explores how a training game called Limbitless Journey<\/em> can help determine muscle strength, assess user comfort with using the wheelchair and examine the potential for integrating eye-tracking technology.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want to make that experience the lowest stress possible and the most beneficial as possible for wheelchair users,\u201d Manero says. \u201cThis research paper really looks at that usability evaluation and helping be able to understand how humans interact with machines and simulations …  to better improve dexterity and mobility control.\u201d<\/p>\n

Manero says he saw a need for a specialized wheelchair that can adapt to its users as their body changes over time.  Recognizing that this technology may seem complex and potentially intimidating, Limbitless was inspired to go one step further and develop a training game to accompany Project Xavier.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe wheelchair project came about from a friend who was using a powered wheelchair.  We really learned [that] for [people with] neuromuscular disorders, there can come a point when their hand is just not sufficient to be able to control their wheelchair,\u201d Manero says. \u201cAs we learned more and more about the experience for those patients, we realized that there is a real need for hands-free wheelchair technology.\u201d<\/p>\n

Evaluating how people use the training game to learn how to use their wheelchair was the key takeaway from the study. Participants in the study praised the level of design and provided suggestions, stating that eye-tracking technology could be improved. The researchers also concluded that objective-based minigames within the game may be implemented.<\/p>\n

With this feedback, the Limbitless team members say they are hopeful that the training can reach its full potential.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis research paper really looks at that usability evaluation and helping be able to understand how humans interact with machines and simulations …  to better improve dexterity and mobility control.\u201d \u2014 Albert Manero \u201912 \u201914MS \u201916PhD<\/strong>, executive director and co-founder of Limbitless Solutions.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cWe started working with a clinical trial with the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville. In that trial we found that people were nervous to learn how to use the chair,\u201d Smith says. \u201cSo we started building this game that would allow them to practice before getting put into that experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

The game\u2019s eye-tracking technology works by using an infrared camera across from the user to detect eye movement and translate it to the user interface. The user can \u201cselect\u201d an option by maintaining eye contact with a specific point on the screen for a duration of time.<\/p>\n

Receiving steady gameplay input from testers is crucial to designing a training game that is both intuitive and enjoyable, Smith says.<\/p>\n

\u201c<\/strong>I think that the key for any kind of training game is to make sure that you’re focusing on the learning objective or the training outcome that you want,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Navigating through feedback and customizing the experience for all levels of users is something that Dombrowski says he bears in mind when developing training games.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s really about understanding [that] our audience is ever-changing and each person is going to be completely different,\u201d he says. \u201cOur big goal is to make this scalable, to have experiences that are peaceful, slow and calm, and then also have experiences that maybe ramp that up a little bit more.\u201d<\/p>\n

The team is encouraged by the valuable input the testers provided and are excited to keep the project rolling, Dombrowski says.<\/p>\n

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