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June 2017 | ISE Magazine 15 Using game features in nongame contexts, com- puters can learn to build personalized mental and physical therapy programs that enhance individual motivation, according to Penn State engineers. Instead of the usual one-size-fits-all approach, assistant professor of engineering design and indus- trial engineering Conrad Tucker and colleagues want to use machine learning to train computers to develop mental or physical therapy regimens tai- lored to each individual patient, whether that per- son is recovering from a shoulder injury or trying to overcome anxiety. To begin creating computer models for therapy programs, the researchers tested how to transform physical tasks into a gamified application by incor- porating scoring, avatars, challenges and competi- tion. Unlike using people to evaluate others on an individual basis, training computers to read individual people can scale up, Tucker said. The researchers found that gamified applications with a scoring system, the ability to select an avatar and in-game rewards led to significantly fewer mistakes and higher per- formance than those with a win-or-lose system, randomized gaming backgrounds and performance-based awards. The results, published in Computers i Huma Behavior, potentially could be used to boost workplace performance and personal- ize virtual reality classrooms for online education. Gaming helps personalized therapy level up Training computers to evaluate people could also boost workplace performance, online education A study participant (face obscured) interacts with a computer game system during testing of game features for possible use in improving physical and mental therapy. Consulting Software Training From foundational industrial engineering concepts to advanced lean principles, we cover all your needs. Industry leading, web-based work measurement and labor standards develop- ment software. We partner with companies to deliver world class solutions that drive business profitability. The new standard in industrial engineering services and solutions. (800) 813-7028 info@connorsllc.com www.connorsllc.com We help companies increase sales and profitability by improving operational performance. Providing expertise across the entire supply chain, we partner with companies by leading operational improvements in all aspects of Retail, Distribution, Service and Manufacturing. WHO WE ARE