PROJECT ACTIVITIES
Researchers at the university of Sydney are interested in:
- The types and genres of games you enjoy playing
- How you like to play (e.g., single player, co-op w friends)
- working with young people with brain injury to make therapy fun & meaningful.
You can take part in one, some, or all of these activities
- answering some QUESTIONS
- sharing IDEAS and contributing to design workshops
- PLAY TESTING Video Games, board games, VR games
- joining the team as a CO–RESEARCHER or as an ADVISOR
An acquired brain injury (ABI) is an injury to the brain that happens after birth
SYMPTOMS
Thinking and memory
- Difficulty concentrating or staying on task
- Memory problems (e.g., forgetting conversations, losing track of what they were doing)
- Slower processing speed (e.g., taking longer to understand or respond to things)
- Difficulty planning, organising, or problem-solving
Communication and language
- Difficulty finding the right words
- Trouble following fast or complex conversations
- Changes in reading or writing ability
- Difficulties understanding jokes, sarcasm, or implied meaning (sometimes called “reading between the lines”)
Physical
- Headaches or fatigue, especially after mental effort
- Dizziness or problems with balance
- Sensitivity to light or noise
- Sleep difficulties
Behaviour and emotion
- Increased irritability, impulsivity, or frustration
- Anxiety or low mood
- Reduced awareness of their own difficulties (sometimes called “reduced insight”)
- Changes in personality that family members may notice before the person themselves does
Social
- Difficulty taking turns in conversation
- Trouble reading social cues or knowing what’s appropriate to say
- Feeling socially withdrawn or isolated
What are some EXAMPLES of Acquired Brain Injury (ABI)?
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) (e.g., this can happen after a car or bike accident, or from a fall that causes injuries to the head)
- concussion (Mild TBI) (e.g., this can happen after an injury to the head during sport, a fall or a car accident. The symptoms are not as severe as a TBI, but it is still serious.
Symptoms can be headaches, memory problems, or difficulty concentrating.
- concussion (Mild TBI) (e.g., this can happen after an injury to the head during sport, a fall or a car accident. The symptoms are not as severe as a TBI, but it is still serious.
- Childhood stroke (a stroke can happen when blood flow to part of the brain is blocked or interrupted. It can happen at any age — including in babies, children, and teenagers — and may affect movement, speech, or thinking.
- Brain Tumour (e.g., brain cancer) occurs when abnormal cells grow in or near the brain. The tumour (or the treatment for it) can affect how the brain works.
- Brain Aneurysm e.g., this is when a weak spot in a blood vessel in the brain bulges and bursts, causing bleeding around or inside the brain. It can affect memory, concentration, movement, or personality
- Infection (e.g., Meningitis/Encephalitis) can happen when infection causes inflammation in or around the brain. This can affect memory, attention, behaviour, and learning
- Hypoxic or Anoxic brain injury (caused by oxygen deprivation, e.g., from a near-drowning or cardiac event)
We’ll playtest lots of different games.
You can choose what types of games you want to play.
- videogames (e.g., PC, console)
- VR (virtual reality)
- Tabletop boardgames
- TTRPG (role playing e.g., D&D)
- and others!
Sign up to the mailing list and we’ll be in touch as soon as the project begins
Project will begin in mid-Late June
Sessions will be conducted either:
1. At the University of Sydney, Camperdown.
2. Online / by video call.
3. By appointment, at your home.
game-abi-lity: a research project WITH 12-17 YEAR OLD TEENS witH BRAIN INJURY 