JMIR Serious Games

As a novel intervention method that combines exercise and games, exergames have demonstrated a positive impact on enhancing the cognitive and physical functions of older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). However, there remains a dearth of knowledge and evidence regarding the experiences and needs of the older adult population in China with MCI about exergames.

Visualization technology is enhancing interactive learning by merging digital content with real-world environments, offering immersive experiences through Augmented Reality (AR) in fields like medical education. AR is being increasingly used in medicine and dental education to improve student learning, particularly in understanding complex concepts such as bone remodeling. Active learning strategies, supported by AR, boost student autonomy, reduce cognitive load, and improve learning outcomes across various disciplines. AR is gaining popularity in higher education as it enhances active learning, reduces cognitive load, and improves cognitive, meta-cognitive, and affective outcomes, particularly in medical and nursing education. The effectiveness of immersive AR in enhancing understanding of complex physiological processes is still unclear, with a lack of rigorous studies on its impact and how to effectively convert academic content into AR.

Nature engagement, including affective and physical interactions with nature, is linked to a multitude of health and well-being benefits. Unfortunately, opportunities for engaging with nature are decreasing worldwide. University students, especially, are a demographic group that tends to engage little with nature. Immersive virtual nature (IVN; ie, digital nature content delivered through immersive devices, such as head-mounted displays) has been proposed as a medium to facilitate nature experiences and engagement. In recent years, 360° nature videos have emerged as an accessible way to create IVN content, although it is still unclear whether they can elicit presence and increase nature engagement to a greater extent than nature videos delivered through nonimmersive media.

Hospitalized older adults often spend prolonged periods of time bedridden leading to decreased muscle strength and function. To tackle this, rehabilitation aims to keep patients active and train affected muscles. Exergames have proven to be effective in rehabilitation of different patient populations and offer a motivating solution to combat inactivity associated with hospitalization. Furthermore, blood flow restriction (BFR) is effective in therapy of weakened patients so combining BFR and exergames might be promising.

Age-related physiological changes in older adults involve a rapid decline in motor exercise ability; some older adults may also experience difficulties in maintaining focus, memory loss, and a decline in reaction time, which consequently impair their ability to perform dual tasks. Motor-cognitive training (MCT) refers to a blend of motor activity and cognitive training that occurs simultaneously and can assist older adults in enhancing their physical function, cognitive abilities, and dual-task performance. In recent years, the use of technology for delivering MCT has become increasingly popular in research. This has been achieved through various technologies that simplify MCT for older adults.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) requires consistent sustained management, including regular physical activity, pulmonary rehabilitation, and self-care adherence. Despite strong clinical guidelines, patient engagement remains a major challenge, leading to suboptimal disease control and increased health care use. Gamified interventions have emerged as potential tools to improve adherence, motivation, and outcomes in chronic disease management. However, their effectiveness and implementation in COPD remain underexplored.

A growing body of research has examined the connection between video game play and relief from anxiety and depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic years. However, evidence has been limited in dissecting the role of video games in moderating personal health outcomes such as anxiety and depression. This research aimed to provide insights into this area by investigating Chinese college students living under difficult conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic shelter-in-place lockdowns.

While motion-sensing game (MSG) platforms provide immersive, real-time feedback environments for rehabilitation, research findings on their effectiveness in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) pulmonary rehabilitation remain heterogeneous.

Haptic feedback technology is widely used, including in serious games. It is an additional sensory method that supplements audio and vision, provides a novel user experience through a physical control layer, and enhances the immersion of virtual reality, thereby improving the user's cognitive state while alleviating dependence on visual information. However, there is limited research on haptic feedback preferences for mobile serious card games designed for older adults.

Given the appeal of active video games (AVG), many tools are now being used for combined training in older adults. However, there is a lack of comparative data to determine which type of AVG is better suited to older adults.

Virtual reality (VR) is increasingly used as a distraction tool for painful procedures in children. Studies have shown variable benefit but have not identified factors to maximize utility.

Exergame-based training enhances physical and cognitive performance in older adults, including those with mild neurocognitive disorder (mNCD). In-game metrics generated from user interactions with exergames enable individualized adjustments. However, there is a need to systematically investigate how well such game metrics capture true cognitive and motor-cognitive performance to provide a more robust basis for personalized training.