Accessible Human Computer Interaction: Video Games and Assisted Living for Persons with Severe Disabilities

Accessible Human Computer Interaction is a very wide area of study, which covers many topics and addresses several interesting problems; but there is a common goal that researchers of this field usually share: to use technology for improving the quality of life of persons with disabilities. In fact, this thesis stems from the will of helping persons with disabilities in different moments of their lives (i.e., during their childhood and in their adult age), by using different interactive technologies. In particular, this document explores two challenges: first, the problem that children with motor disabilities face as they cannot access dynamic video games as their normally developing peers do, leading them to reduced participation at leisure and playful educational activities, and finally to a potential social exclusion. The second challenge is faced by professional caregivers that work with adults motor and cognitively disabled, within assisted living facilities. Such caregivers need to effectively monitor the people under their care, as well as to be alerted of potentially hazardous situations that happen to these persons while they are alone. This thesis contributes to the improvement of the quality of life of persons with motor and cognitive disabilities, by supporting them in specific situations through different moments of their lives: in their childhood, by allowing them to play dynamic video games; and in their adulthood while they live and are cared by caregivers in assisted living facilities. Moreover, the research presented in this document constitutes a potentially valuable contribution to bring together the technical capabilities of engineers and HCI researchers, with the experience and knowledge of healthcare professionals that work daily with persons with disabilities.