Exergame design for elderly users: the case study of SilverBalance

In this paper, we discuss chances and challenges of game design for an elderly audience with a focus on the development of safe and usable exertion games for frail senior citizens. Based on an analysis of theoretical constraints, we conducted a case study which implements different balance tasks for elderly players featuring the Nintendo Wii Balance Board which encourages users to actively engage in game play. Furthermore, we tested the feasibility of the board as input device for our case study SilverBalance. Our results indicate that age-related impairments influence the use of video games among frail elderly in many respects, hence their needs have to be considered during the design process. In this context, our paper provides a foundation for future research regarding digital games for the elderly. © 2010 ACM

Evaluating social games for kids and teenagers diagnosed with cancer

Serious games for health are interactive games with a focus on health care, physical and mental fitness. As it is assumed that social support can also indirectly influence patient's health condition, multiplayer online health games present an innovative approach of improving the player's health condition. In this paper we present the health game prototype "Adventures in Sophoria" developed at the University of Duisburg-Essen with the goal of facilitating the intercommunication of teenagers during cancer treatment. Two versions of the game were implemented, one explicitly referring to cancer and an implicit version with no cancer content. In a between-subjects experimental study with a clinical sample, both versions were compared. Additionally, parents and nursing staff were interviewed in order to evaluate the demand regarding health games. Results suggest that the implicit game version yielded higher enjoyment and acceptance compared to the explicit version. © 2011 IEEE

EMSA Eritin Blocks Nuclear Factor-Kappa B in Diabetes Mellitus Mice Model

Diabetes mellitus is one of the common metabolic disorders with increasing prevalence during recent years with hyperglycemia as its characteristic. DM has been shown to be a state of free radicals over production resulted from hyperglycemia that can activate cellular signaling pathways transcription of factor NF-κB which stimulates the production of several inflammatory mediators andl lead to chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation is implicated in β-cell damage and function and promotes apoptosis. EMSA Eritin is a polyherbal consisting of soy bean extracts, coconut water extract and red rice extract that assumed to be antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory. This study will assess the effectiveness of EMSA Eritin against inflammation in diabetes mellitus by measuring levels of NF-κB produced by immunocompetent cells in DM mice model. Streptozotocin 100 mg.kg-1 BW is used to induce diabetes mellitus in mice. Oral administration of EMSA Eritin was given for 14 days with dose of 0.3125 mg.g-1 BW, 3.125 mg.g-1 BW and 31.25 mg.g-1 BW. Data were analyzed using One-way ANOVA (p<0.05) and Duncan test using SPSS 16.0 for Windows. The results showed that EMSA Eritin can be used as an alternative therapy for the treatment of DM. The level of NF-κB in diabetic mice significantly decreased when the mice received EMSA Eritin

Spatial Diversity in Composition and Structure of Nekton in Ngenep Spring and Its Channels, Karangploso - Malang

Water springs and its channel degradation due to anthropogenic pollution may alter the community structure of aquatic organisms. Water spring degradation tehrefore affect the quality of water as tourism resources. This study aims to investigate the changes in community structure of nekton and determine the relationships between water quality characteristics to the diversity of nekton. The field survey was set up in Ngenep spring and its channels. Results showed that nekton species found in Ngenep spring and its channels consists of 4 classes, 4 orders, 6 families, and 7 species with total 627 nekton samples. It is comprises of fishes, shrimp, frogs and waterstriders. Nekton diversity index (H) in the spring and irrigation channel were in moderate level (1<H<3) while in settlement channel was low (0,67). Evenness values of nekton ranged 0,24 0,53, whereas dominancy index of nekton ranged 0,41 0,74. Evenness value in settlement channel was very low (0, 24) with high dominancy index (0, 74); it indicates that nekton species were spread not evenly in the channel, it dominated by fish Rasbora sp. (highest IVI, 184,95). There were spatial variations of physico-chemical water qualitiy parameters in Ngenep springs and its channels (temperature, stream velocity, turbidity, conductivity, pH, DO, BOD and TOM) which affected to nekton diversity and community structure. Clustering analyses and PCA result shows correlation pattern between nekton distribution with physico-chemical water quality parameters. However, physico-chemical water quality parameters in Ngenep springs and its channel were still optimum as nekton habitat (PP No. 82/ 2001). Keywords: Community structure, Nekton, Spatial diversity, Spring, Water channe

Brief history of serious games

Serious Games are now an established field of study. In this field most would attribute the rise of Serious Games to Clark C Abt’s creation of the term in 1970, or indeed Ben Sawyer’s popularization of it in 2002. However, considering the rich history of purposing non-digital games, itself preceded by discussions of purposing play that are traceable to the work of Plato, it can be said that Serious Games is a contemporary manifestation of centuries old theories and practices. In this chapter, we explore the pre-history of Serious Games, beginning with the suggested purpose, and purposing of play. Throughout this historical review we identify key in research and practice that are apparent in the contemporary Serious Games field

Entwicklung der Andragogik als wissenschaftliche Disziplin

Andragogija je prilično mlada znanost koja se razvijala u okvirima pedagogije. Iako ima vrlo dugu i bogatu andragošku praksu kao teorija, sustavno se počela razvijati tek u 19. st. Druga polovina 20. st. smatra se periodom njenog najplodnijeg i najintenzivnijeg razvitka u kojem andragogija postaje relativno samostalna znanstvena disciplina. Spominje se ime Malcolma Knowlesa koji je svojim člankom „ Andragogija, ne pedagogija“ utemeljio pojam andragogije u zemljama engleskog govornog područja. Rad započinje s podatcima o povijesnom razvoju obrazovanja odraslih u tri glavne faze razvoja - fazi integralnog jedinstva andragogije s pedagogijom i sociologijom koja traje od 4. do 19. stoljeća, fazi deskriptivno-deduktivne andragogije od druge polovice 19. stoljeća do 30-ih godina 20. stoljeća i fazi relativne samostalnosti andragogije kao znanosti koja se događa između dvaju svjetskih ratova i u poslijeratnom razdoblju. Slijedi povijesni razvoj obrazovanja odraslih u Hrvatskoj od početka 20. stoljeća do razdoblja nakon rušenja Berlinskog zida. Rad završava predviđanjem za budućnost andragogije.Andragogy is a fairly young science that has developed in terms of pedagogy. Although andragogy has a very long and rich practice as a theory, it systematically began to develop in the 19th century. The second half of the 20th century is considered to be the period of its most productive and most intense development, the period in which andragogy became a relatively independent scientific discipline. The name of Malcolm Knowles is mentioned who, in his article "Andragogy, not pedagogy" established the concept of adult education in English-speaking countries. The paper starts with data on the historical development of adult education through three main stages development-stage integral unity of adult education with pedagogy and sociology, which runs from 4th to 19th centuries, stage descriptive-deductive adult education from the second half of the 19th century to 30-ies of the 20th century, and phase of relative independence of adult education as a science that is going on between the two World Wars and the postwar period. It follows the historical development of adult education in Croatia since the beginning of the 20th century until after the fall of the Berlin Wall. The paper ends with the prediction of the future of adult education.: Andragogik ist eine relativ junge Wissenschaft, die im Rahmen der Pädagogik entwickelt wurde. Obwohl sie eine lange Praxis als Theorie hat, wurde sie erst im 19. Jahrhundert systematisch entwickelt. Die zweite Hälfte des 20. Jahrhunderts gilt als die Periode ihrer fruchtbarsten und intensivsten Entwicklung, in der die Andragogik zu einer relativ unabhängigen wissenschaftlichen Disziplin wurde. Es wird der Name Malcom Knowels erwähnt, der mit seinem Artikel „Andragogik, nicht Pädagogik“ den Begriff der Andragogik in den englischsprachigen Ländern etablierte. Die Arbeit beginnt mit Informationen über die historische Entwicklung der Erwachsenenbildung durch drei Phasen - die Phase der Einheit der Andragogik mit Pädagogik und Soziologie, die vom 4. bis zum 19.Jahrhundert dauert, die Phase der deskriptiv- deduktiven Andragogik von der zweiten Hälfte des 19. Jahrhunderts bis zu den 30-er Jahren des 20. Jahrhunderts und die Phase der relativen Selbstständigkeit der Andragogik als Wissenschaft zwischen den beiden Weltkriegen und in der Nachkriegszeit. Es folgt die historische Entwicklung der Erwachsenenbildung in Kroatien vom Anfang des 20. Jahrhunderts bis nach dem Fall der Berliner Mauer. Die Arbeit endet mit einer Prognose für die Zukunft der Erwachsenenbildung

Eine Quelle quantenentarteter Gase für die Atominterferometrie

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Designing and evaluating digital games for frail elderly persons

Game research increasingly addresses human factors of gaming. Though more and more seniors become players, game design for frail elderly has rarely been explored. This paper addresses game design for senior citizens experiencing age-related changes, especially cognitive and physical limitations. We introduce and evaluate the case study SilverPromenade, which is specifically aimed at providing institutionalized frail elderly with a new leisure activity. SilverPromenade allows players to go on virtual walks while accounting for special needs regarding game complexity, and simplistic interaction paradigms are provided using Nintendo's Wii Remote and the Balance Board for game control. Evaluation results suggest that despite age-related impairments, the game was generally accessible to elderly persons. Yet, differences between inexperienced and experienced players were observed which suggest that interaction problems may be reduced by engaging with games over a longer time. Findings also indicate that the engagement of elderly players transcends into their everyday life, and their social interaction increases among one another. Most importantly, the evaluation showed that games were perceived as enjoyable leisure activity, supporting the approach of applying digital games to raise the quality of life among frail elderly by fostering activity. Copyright 2011 ACM