The Quadcade

The Quadcade is a collaborative project between the MICA Game Lab, the Maryland Blended Reality Center and the University of Maryland Medical Center’s Shock Trauma unit. The project goal is to research and explore how VR games can be used in the rehabilitation of severe spinal cord injuries.

Working closely with the doctors, researchers and patient partners we have designed a suite of VR games that are played with commercial VR hardware and the Quadstick, a joystick made for quadriplegics.

The games are intended to be used during trach trials, a stressful test where patients ability to breath off a ventilator is measured. The games also serve a second purpose of helping newly injured patients become familiar with adaptive technologies.

We are currently testing our first prototype and designing a second phase where we will be adding in light social interactions to the game world.