Development of a GameCycle Exercise System: Phase II

Principal Investigator: Rory A. Cooper, PhD

Co-Investigator(s): Shirley Fitzgerald, PhD; Annmarie Kelleher, OTR/L; Rosemarie Cooper, MPT; Michael Boninger, MD; Erica Authier, BS; Songfeng Guo, PhD

2003-2005

The purpose of this research project is to further develop and test the effectiveness of a novel exercise system for wheelchair users, the GAME^Cycle.  People in wheelchairs who have a desire to exercise are faced with barriers with respect to access to exercise equipment and to availability of exercise equipment that is specifically suitable for use with a wheelchair.  The GAME^Cycle exercise system removes these barriers and offers the wheelchair user an entertaining, motivational environment in which to exercise.

The long-term goal is to improve the overall activity level of individuals who use wheelchairs as their primary means of mobility and increase their general well being.

Objectives:

1) Refine the design of the GAME^Cycle Exercise System to maximize its functionality for commercial use in the end-user’s environment.

2) Use training sessions on the newly designed GAME^Cycle Exercise System (beta prototype) to verify the functionality and ease of use of the new system in local rehabilitation and research facilities.

3) Use training sessions to determine the users ability to reach and maintain target aerobic training zones during 15 minute exercise trials, teach new users how to use the GAME^Cycle Exercise System, and to obtain feedback from new users regarding perceived comfort, fit, and ease of use.

4) Use in-home trials to evaluate the effectiveness of the GAME^Cycle Exercise System (as compared with a standard arm-ergometer) in the context of extended, in-home use.

Objectives one through three have been completed.  14 subjects with spinal cord injuries, 11 men and 3 women, with an average age of 37.5 years (SD = 6.5) participated in the Training Phase of the study.  Subjects were trained to use the Game^Cycle and required to complete a timed demonstration.  Metabolic data were collected over a 14 minute exercise bout while playing Need for Speed Underground.  All subjects were able to complete training successfully and 11 (79%) of the subjects were able to reach their target heart rate zones.  This study indicates that the refined version of the Game^Cycle is easy to use and users can reach their aerobic training zones with it.  Currently, prototypes are being delivered to subject home for the In-Home phase.