Serious games for rehabilitation: A survey and a classification towards a taxonomy

Serious Games are growing into a significant area spurred by the growth in the use of video games and of new methods for their development. They have important applications in several distinct areas such as: military, health, government, and education. The design of computer games can offer valuable contributions to develop effective games in the rehabilitation area. This paper presents fundamental concepts relating to Serious Games followed by a survey of relevant work and applications on Serious Games for Rehabilitation. We propose a classification designed to properly distinguish and compare Serious Games for Rehabilitation systems in what concerns their fundamental characteristics. We also describe a particular Serious Game for Rehabilitation, RehaCom, as a case study. Finally, the paper presents some challenges and research opportunities in this area.