User-driven development with scientific & applied research - RFID-controlled physiogame case study
Sari Linnea Merilampi, Venni Ihanakangas, Johanna Virkki · 2019
The role of technology in health care is growing. One major challenge caused by the rapid evolvement of technologies, is the implementation and application of the latest technology advances into actual care practises. In this paper, we present how combination of scientific research and multidisciplinary applied research activities can boost the development of need-based solutions to real-life challenges. The paper concentrates on the ideation phase of the development process. This paper presents a case study, in which a body movement-controlled physiotherapy game is developed in close collaboration of technology developers and physiotherapy professionals. Textile-integrated passive UHF RFID tags are used as game controllers to enable identification of certain movements. The results indicate the early stage prototype used in the study to enhance ideation and identification of application areas for the technology. In addition, the joint development process, in which the clients (rehabilitation professionals) are involved from the beginning, is also found to create commitment to continue collaboration, by helping the technology developers to meet the needs and to take user group-specific requirements into account in the development. This kind of process serves multidisciplinary projects well.