Serenity: exploring audio-based gaming for arm-hand rehabilitation after stroke

Recent studies have shown that adding sonification to stroke rehabilitation training is effective. It helps patients achieve better training results by positively affecting motor control, the somatosensory system, and patient engagement. This paper explores the concept of audio-based games in stroke rehabilitation, hypothesizing that the removal of a visual dimension might increase patient focus on the body part being trained. In an expert study with nine therapists we evaluated Serenity, an audio-based rehabilitation game, as a design probe to explore the potential of audio-based games in rehabilitation training. Results show promise for further exploring the concept of audio-based gaming in stroke rehabilitation.