NeuroGame

Overview

NeuroGame is a web-based game project that I developed with the aim of helping children with autism train their psychomotor skills through fun and interactive games. This project is a simple but meaningful innovation, where technology can be a bridge to support the development of children with special needs.

Psychomotor skills involve the coordination between muscles and the brain to perform physical activities. For children with autism, training psychomotor skills is crucial to support daily activities and improve social interaction. Through NeuroGame, I aim to provide a learning experience packaged in the form of a game, allowing children to practice while playing.

Goals Project

This project has several main objectives, namely::

1. Alternative Psychomotor Therapy Media Creating alternative psychomotor therapy media that is enjoyable for children with autism.
2. Easy Access Providing technology-based solutions that are easily accessible via a browser, without the need for complicated installation.
3. Providing Educational Impact Providing an educational and recreational experience for children and their caregivers.
4. Builds Children's Motivation and Confidence This game provides positive feedback (sounds, animations, simple rewards) to children, so that they feel appreciated and more confident.
5. Provides Support for Parents and Therapists For parents and therapists, NeuroGame is useful as an additional medium to accompany children, making training activities more varied and less monotonous.
6. Becoming a Child-Friendly Game for Children with Autism The appearance, colors, animations, and game flow are tailored to the needs of children with autism so that they are not excessive and remain comfortable to use.
7. Combining Technology with Social Goals NeuroGame does not only focus on the technical side, but also emphasizes how technology can be a real solution in the world of education and health.

Tech Stack

1. Language: Php, HTML, JS
2. Database: Mysql
3. Framework: Native Php

Games

1. Catch Fruits Game This game involves catching fruit falling from trees. To play, players must set up an Xbox Kinect. With the Kinect, players stand in front of the device and then move left and right to catch the fruit falling from the trees!
2. Fruit Sorting Game In this game, players are instructed to select the appropriate fruit to put into the bowl. To control their hands, an active webcam is required. Players need to stretch out their open hands in front of the webcam (in front of the laptop screen), then clench their fists to pick up the fruit and move it to the bowl.
3. Treasure Hunt Game In this game, players are instructed to create a line that will lead them to the treasure. To play, use the mouse to draw a line on the map that will lead to the treasure. The line cannot cross any other lines on the map.
4. Ball Throwing and Catching Game In this game, players are instructed to catch and throw the ball to their opponents in a game called riko. To play, an active webcam is required, and the child must raise both hands in front of the webcam. To start throwing and catching, the child is instructed to give a thumbs up, then riko will throw the ball to the player, who can then catch the ball with both hands.

The Problems and How I Deal With It

I encountered difficulties with the Catch Fruits Game because it required integration with Xbox Kinect. In addition, part of the code for Catch Fruits had already been written by someone else, and the code was very messy, which hindered my progress. At that time, I had never created a game using HTML and JavaScript.