Victus Exergame: An Approach to Rehabilitation of Amputees Based in Serious Game

This article describes a solution that aims to make the process of physical rehabilitation more attractive for amputees through a solution based on medical informatics and gamification through a serious game. Addressing the challenges faced by individuals with lower limb amputations during physiotherapy — such as trauma, pain, and lack of motivation — this work introduces a serious game that incorporates an embedded sensor system with microcontrollers to a stationary bike. That system serves as both the game controller and a set of biological monitors, alongside a physiotherapy tool that displays the data obtained during sessions for the therapists to track patient progress. Developed through a participatory design approach involving patients and therapists, the system collects data on user engagement, physiological responses, and performance metrics via sensors and feedback forms. By fostering a relaxed and immersive treatment environment, the approach seeks to improve the effectiveness of physiotherapy. Initial experiments demonstrated that this solution holds promise in creating a more playful and motivating physical rehabilitation environment.