Inclusive
Augmented Reality
Game Development
Building a future where play and exercise are inclusive and fun for people of all abilities.
About iGYM
iGYM is an augmented reality system for inclusive play and exercise. It is designed for schools and community-based sport and recreation facilities, seeking to provide novel and accessible ways for people with mobility disabilities and their non-disabled peers to play and exercise together.
Our Research
iGYM originates from the award-winning work of an interdisciplinary research group at the University of Michigan, which explored the combined benefits of traditional sports with the whole-body interaction modalities of exergames (see CHI PLAY ’19 Best Paper Award).
Design and Development
The project builds on the analysis of inclusive play principles in adapted sports and interactive gaming. It involved iterative testing and feedback from health professionals to create a room-sized, interactive game environment that supports competitive and cooperative play among players with different mobility abilities.
Studies
The research centered on studies with participants with different levels of mobility. Feedback from participants with and without mobility disabilities helped evaluate the system’s usability and accessibility. It provided insights into the potential impact of iGYM on promoting inclusive play experiences and related aspects like enjoyment and perceived fairness in competitive settings.
Findings
Key findings highlighted the positive reception of iGYM’s inclusive system design and its effectiveness in balancing competitive play. They showed that perceptions of fairness were informed by individual attributes (e.g., competitiveness and cooperativeness) regardless of whether players use mobility aids or not. The research underscored the system’s potential for creating co-located inclusive play spaces and various forms of physical skill training.
System Features and Configuration
The iGYM system revolutionizes inclusive play and exercise with projected augmented reality, enabling players of all mobility levels to compete in the same space. Key features include a patented peripersonal circle interaction game environment, a kick button, and adaptable game mechanics that allow balancing players’ individual differences in response time or mobility, optimizing the experience for every player.
Peripersonal Circle Interaction
Kick Button
Spatial and Technical Configuration
Impact
The iGYM system promotes novel inclusive play experiences by creating an environment where individuals with and without mobility disabilities can participate in physical activities. Its innovative use of interactive floor projection and adaptable game mechanics enhances social inclusion and promotes physical engagement among all players.
“I liked when it gets going faster, like a volley. That’s what makes regular air hockey enjoyable -the back and forth.”
– User Testing 01 (10 years old)
“It adapts it for you, and it’s easier. It’s basically adapted for everyone, even people with no physical disabilities.”
– User Testing 02 (8 years old)
“I liked the fact that it was a competition. I’m very competitive..”
– User Testing 03 (13 years old)
Play With Us
We are currently looking for partners to further develop the system. Please fill out the form if you are interested to support our mission and we will follow up with more details soon.
Research Team
Behind iGYM is an interdisciplinary team of designers, engineers, and human-computer interaction researchers at the University of Michigan, supported by consultants in business, technology, and rehabilitation.
Shyam Keshavmurthy, PhD
Computer Vision Engineer
Seth Andrew Warschausky, PhD
Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
Seong-Hee Westlake
Rehabilitation Engineer
Don Manfredi and Alisyn Malek
Innovation Partnerships
Betsy Howell
Physical Therapist
Moses Lee
Entrepreneur in Residence
Ruifeng Xu
Software Engineering, M.S. Mechanical Engineering
Chiao Lin
Product Design, M.S. Information
Mann Gupta
Software Engineering, B.S. Computer Science
Khush Kapadia
Physical Design, M.S. Design Science
Enze Yuan
Software Engineering, M.S. Computer Science
Hellen Tong
Product Design, M.S. Information
Estella Zhang Qiming
Entrepreneurship, M.S. Urban & Regional Planning
- Cyan Ma
- Joanne Huang
- Harper Ma
- Ruotong Gao
- Lynn Li
- Renan Chen
- Xin Ying Chew
- Pallavi Benawri
- Amy E. Whitesall
- Sun Young Park
- Emma Shpiz
- Zixuan Li
- Pengqi Lu
- Priyanka Raju
- Megan Freund
- Yaqian Zhao
- Luyao Gong
- Dashiell Carichner
Supported by
University of Michigan Exercise & Sport Science Initiative
