Boccia's appeal and rising popularity comes from its showcase as a Paralympic sport that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and abilities. An Osaka Metropolitan University team has developed an extended reality version of the game as a rehabilitation program, showing how the game that requires accuracy and strategy can aid motor and cognitive skills.
Graduate School of Rehabilitation Science Associate Professor Masataka Kataoka's research group developed Boccia XR so that the program can be introduced even in environments with limited space.
The researchers investigated changes in mood among participants over 65 before and after experiencing Boccia XR, traditional boccia, and treadmill walking, as well as lower limb muscle activity during exercise.
