Team Alignment and Project Scoping
This first week was focused on building alignment and setting up the project framework. Our team met to clarify objectives, organize requirements, and plan next steps for research and prototyping. We also began scoping our target audience, debating whether to focus specifically on Parkinson’s patients (where the shoes have proven effectiveness) or expand to a broader group of elderly and mobility-impaired users. Two directions emerged: creating a brand-new playful experience or enhancing validated rehabilitation tasks through gamification.
Expert Consultation with Magnes AG
On August 28, we met with Conrad from Magnes AG, alongside our faculty advisors Charles and Heather. Conrad shared insights on gameplay approaches, emphasizing starting from clinically validated tasks such as balance, stepping patterns, and posture exercises, before layering in cognitive prompts and game mechanics. He also introduced us to the technical capabilities of the shoes—Bluetooth connectivity, vibration feedback, and a Unity-ready API. Importantly, he confirmed delivery of three pairs of shoes, and supporting documentation by September 3, as well as access to Parkinson’s communities and research papers to guide our design.
Brainstorming and Creative Exploration
This week also marked our first Brainstorming Workshop, which encouraged us to think broadly about possible experiences. We explored themes of warmth, nostalgia, and accessible play, drawing inspiration from titles like Wii Balance Board and Animal Crossing. Ideas included creating nature-inspired environments—forests, gardens, or wilderness settings—that evoke calmness and exploration, while remaining clear and non-distracting for users with mild cognitive decline. We discussed the importance of emotional goals such as giving players a sense of accomplishment, motivation to move, and feelings of care and community.
Technical Setup and Tools Exploration
We began investigating the API functions of the shoes, including scanning, vibration control, and real-time gait data streaming. Unity emerged as our preferred game engine, given its compatibility with the demo client will provide. We also flagged early considerations around Bluetooth reliability, data latency, and how to best visualize or pause gameplay when disconnection occurs. Preparing survey and interview materials was also identified as a near-term priority, to complement our technical prototypes with user-centered insights.
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