A video game collaboration that stemmed from 麻豆映画传媒鈥檚 Limbitless Solutions and the School of Visual Arts & Design was recognized today for its innovation at the Serious Games Showcase & Challenge, an event that brings together top companies in the simulation and gaming industry.
Limbitless Training Games won the Best Serious Game Innovation award at the Orange County Convention Center for its video games that people missing hands can play without having to press a button.
Limbitless Training Games integrates electromyography board technology into a series of games including Dog Jump, Smash Bro, Sushi Slap and more. It allows users to move their video-game characters 鈥� jumping, slapping or smashing, depending on the game 鈥� merely by flexing their muscles. An EMG board sticks to a user鈥檚 forearm via conductive pads to measure electric impulses in one鈥檚 muscles and trigger the game.
The idea stemmed from Limbitless Solution鈥檚 student staff members Albert Manero, executive director, and Dominique Courbin, director of production. Limbitless Solutions creates bionic arms for children missing limbs via 3-D printing, which makes the products less costly than others on the market.
鈥淢yself and Dominique have been dreaming this up [the games] for quite some time,鈥� said Manero. 鈥淒ominique鈥檚 been taking a lot of steps for about a year and a half to engage the School of Visual Arts and Design about this idea. We want to take the technology from the arms to create some fun and training opportunities for the kids. We provided some hardware assistance, and SVAD brought in the creative aspect.鈥�
Peter Smith, digital media assistant professor, and undergraduate game design students Tyler Quillen and Zackary Henderson, both seniors, have been spearheading the creation of the game. Quillen and Henderson work with Smith as undergraduate researchers and accepted the award at the showcase. They鈥檝e been working on the games since March. Some games took 16 weeks to create, while others were made in 48-hour 鈥渏am sessions.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 fulfilling to see something I鈥檓 doing help people in a positive way. To see that tangible effect, and not just receive a grade and be done. It鈥檚 a good feeling,鈥� Henderson said.
Quillen added: 鈥淚t鈥檚 been so rewarding. We got to go to a fitting when about seven kids got their arms from Limbitless. A kid was catching a football, while another girl was trying to play guitar. A lot of our work is just for a class and a grade, but this was the first opportunity for us to really make a difference.鈥�
Kids who were receiving bionic arms from Limbitless tested out the games in September. It enhanced their excitement to receive their arms because they saw how its technology also could be used as a video-game controller, said Manero, who added it鈥檚 a way for kids to practice using the arm鈥檚 technology in a low-pressure, fun way.
Limbitless Training Games was one of 50 entries in the Serious Games Showcase & Challenge that is part of the annual Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference. Entries came from industry, military and student groups. Other awards included People鈥檚 Choice, Best Business Game, Best Industry Game and more.
鈥淲e were so shocked and surprised. I wasn鈥檛 expecting to win anything,鈥� Henderson said.
Quillen added: 鈥淲e鈥檒l definitely be back, flexing strongly.鈥�