GameLab broadens the horizon

By Sanne Berglund Thor

11 persons enter the meeting room – packed with computers and sensors for the workshop GameLab4Health at Odense University Hospital.

The teacher of the day of programming is Jørgen Jakob Friis from Sports and Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark. He brought several small computers called Raspberry Pi with a SD cart and keyboard, mouse and a single sensor attached to. His plan for education was obvious:
- My mindset is: quick & dirty programming. We play with the rules of the game for physical interaction with technology through physical sensors.

A quite simple program – Scratch – forms the foundation for the tasks of today with the purpose to give the 11 participants in the workshop a sense of how programming is done.

For project nurse Lena Eidsvaag from Lung medical Research Unit at Odense University Hospital the workshop has given a good insight into how to develop programs:
- I did not count on learning technology which is difficult for me. We need developers of programs, and they need us to show what the patients need. For me it has broadens the horizon. The day has brought a lot of positivity. Before I saw the limitations, now I think innovation in everything I do and I see the possibilities for development.

The sensor gives information about the patient making exercises. A technology Jørgen Jakob Friis has tested with pilots of F-16 fighter aircraft. They are exposed to the force of gravity when they fly. The functionality of the neck has been trained with sensors in “Trace training”.

He has also tested sport sensors and its functionality for repetition to recognize the patterns of motions. The small computer program and the sensor can prepare more targeted measurements of motions than most of the commercial products which are far more expensive to acquire.

Occupational therapist Helene Kissow works in hand surgery unit at the Rehabilitation group at Odense University Hospital. She thinks that programming is difficult, but exciting to watch:
- My share of work is the discipline anatomy. I think it is necessary with the different professions closing the loop – professional, technical and anatomically to find the best solution for the patient.

At the workshop she did test the sensor which might be attached with a strap measuring the rehabilitation of the muscles of the hand. For her it would be very important to be able to see how many degrees the hand can be moved in order for the patient to see the progress.

Physiotherapist at Intensive Care at Odense University Hospital Mads Bisgaard Borup gave his inputs for solutions:
- There are rules of hygiene. We cannot pull anything into the beds. The patients lie in beds; the training period is short and does not take half an hour. We must target their rehabilitation and get the most out of the energy.

Jørgen Jakob Friis sees GameLab4Health as a place to try concepts of:
- Sometimes there is more enthusiasm for an idea, here is the opportunity to test the concepts and refine them before money is invested. It is an approach of exploration.

Knowledge Centre Manager at Lillebaelt Academy of Professional Higher Education Jan Lund sees the work at GameLab4Health as significantly in the development:
- The clinicians can develop games in a different way when they know the programming. It gives them a technological tool. Therefore they communicate thoughts and ideas far more specific and it enriches the cooperation.

Sara Rosager Mortensen is research officer at University College Lillebaelt and participant at the workshop for GameLab4Health.
She sees it as a necessity that the clinic is analyzing the needs from a given diagnosis. The target of today’s workshop is not to educate programmers, but to give the staff a sense of the road ahead.

- We have to recognize the importance of taking part of a user-driven innovation proces to target the product for the needs of the patient. We have brought people together. We will walk side by side in this development initiative. To invest time, gives an outcome on the long run, thinks Sara Rosager Mortensen.

The project is cooperation between Academy of Professional Higher Education, Odense University Hospital, University College Lillebaelt, Sport & Biomechanics and Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møllers Institute from University of Southern Denmark.

GameLab4Health is sponsored by The European Social Fond and The European Fond of Regional Development.