FITboard
The Need
A major problem in pediatric rehabilitation is the lack of accessible, affordable, home-based interventions that motivate children to adhere to their physical therapy routines. Existing solutions are often too expensive for regular home use or not accessible for children with disabilities.
The Project
The FITBoard (Fun, Interactive Therapy Board) is a low-cost, motivating rehabilitation tool for children with disabilities. The FITBoard consists of a laptop and custom, 3D printed, modular pieces that can be assembled by parents or therapists in different ways. Each piece contains a variety of touch based interfaces that control sounds, videos, or games, all of which can be configured to meet differing interests and abilities. The FITBoard embodies the beneficial features of tablets (gaming, motivating aesthetics) and of VR systems (novelty, therapeutically relevant movements), and it implements these mechanics in a simple, physical intervention. Children interact with the FITBoard by physically contacting any of a wide variety of low-cost, conductive materials (i.e. play dough, magnets, fruit) on the board with any part of their body. This physical contact produces visual, auditory, and/or game interaction rewards that are displayed on a computer screen.
Current Status
Three prototypes have been developed and tested by end users. The team is currently working on improvements and expansion based on the feedback they have received.