Gamification, sensory feedback, adaptive function on virtual reality rehabilitation: a brief review

Feedback is often linked to rewards element in gamification to motivate users. However, there are more to feedbacks than rewards elements. Feedback can provide user with useful information and at the same time feedback from user are useful for an adaptive system. There has been lack of empirical basis for feedback design to maintain motivation in virtual reality environment especially for the less cognitively abled population such as stroke patients. This paper presents a review study on gamification, sensory feedback, and adaptive function with regards to the use of virtual reality in stroke rehabilitation. A further analysis was conducted on those work that involves gamification and virtual reality design principles. One major finding is the dominant use of visual feedback in the design as compared to auditory and haptics despite their potentials to encourage motivation and engagement. The literature findings will be used to inform future empirical research on virtual reality design for stroke rehabilitation. The idea is to investigate the effect of sensory feedback and the added value on motivation and engagement. Some plans on how to conduct such a study will be illustrated.