A Multiplayer Voice-Enabled Game Platform for the Elderly

The prevalence of diseases like Dementia is increasing worldwide due to the increase of average lifespan, and consequently, of elderly population. With no cure for dementia, there is a big focus on its early detection, as well as on cognitive stimulation which aims to delay the loss of cognitive abilities. However, there are not yet many technological solutions that allow elders to undergo cognitive stimulation exercises in a group context. This work aims to develop a multiplayer game for European Portuguese to be applied in the context of cognitive stimulation. The game, based on the format of a quiz, serves as a platform for elders to exercise their memory competing with each other, and thus, promoting social interaction which is of major importance for cognitive stimulation. To this end, the game incorporates a virtual gameshow host and speech and language technologies allowing for natural voice interactions. The preliminary results of the user satisfaction survey were generally positive. In particular, the multiplayer component was well received, reinforcing the potential of this type of system.