develop the software called “Flower” measuring the rate of the pulsations of the Flutter.
Thanks to this game, the patient who must work according to a determined frequency, receives a “feedback” from his effort, i.e. he sees the result of his breathing out and can become aware of his work.
not find the ultimate rules yet.
What is the effectiveness of the game? This is a mother's experiment towards scientists... We need obviously the opinion of the physiotherapists. And I ask to the ones who would read me to let us know their comments, I also ask the scholars specialized in the use of the flutter technique, as well as people who have a particularly creative spirit to enhance the playful side of the game.
To find a good balance between the various people involved is a tough job: a breath is enough for doing everything moving, this breath which I so many times have listened to in the chest of my child.
Brigitte BOUZIN,
mother of Marc, 12 years old, Belgium
brigitte585@hotmail.com
How does
“Flower” work?
This is a software which makes possible to use the flutter® like the engine of a racing car on a circuit, by the mean of a small microphone. Before the race, the pilot chooses with his assistant the ideal engine speed for the race. The assistant indicates also the duration during which it would be necessary that the engine remains at full speed during every stage of the race.
The pilot visualizes in real time his engine speed, and the operating time. Between each phase of the race, the pilot visualizes his course on the circuit, and if he has succeeded in overtaking a competitor. At the end of the race the pilot visualizes the totality of his performances and can save the result.
To start it is necessary to fix a small microphone on the cap of the Flutter by the use of a paste and then to connect it to the PC. The formula 1 race can start.
One fills:
1. The name of the pilot (patient)
2. The name of the assistant (most of the time the physiotherapist)
3. The choice of the circuit
4. The frequency recommendation
5. The duration recommendation
The race can begin and the patient can start to blow in the flutter.
The screen of the game presents on the left the pilot's dashboard and on the right the exercise history.
If the patient has respected the starting recommendations, the software answers by a small “visual flash” showing his car overtaking the competitors.
The programme can
be downloaded for free
at the following address:
http:llwww.flower-
By observing my son I said to myself: “Why is he penalized by his daily physiotherapy, whereas the other
The parents, for the youngest patients suffering of cystic fibrosis? They generally assist as helpless spectators to the habits which regulate the daily sessions.
The interest in the problem, that's where my strength dwells. Thus, hope was born like that. In the everyday life, much of our children and teenagers play for hours with their video games. It appeared interesting to me to observe that in these video games some playing functions started thanks to the breath of the child...
It's from that point that come my idea to connect the flutter, a device used most of the time by my son to clear his airway, to a video game console.
The point of view of the
designers of “Flower”
“To handle the Flutter is not an easy exercise... This instrument is equipped with several characteristics which have quite particular functions and which require to the blower to be concentrated, as for a musical instrument some training is required to be able to satisfy to the objectives of the session.
“Flower” will help you, it is an attempt to connect the Flutter to a game, to encourage dexterity, concentration, and perseverance, with the aim to follow the rate of the breathing pulsations transformed for the occasion into the lever of a racing car.”
The patient would not be only guided by his breathing out, but also by the attractive side of the game.
The challenge was launched.
It was thus a playfully approach that it was necessary to find and thanks to which the “patient” would progress in a context structured by his “breath”.
The patient would therefore “kill” the constraint of the physiotherapy with a weapon which was familiar to him and with which he was sometimes addicted: the video game.
I had only to find “some good geniuses” to put my plan to execution. People of talent and heart, by which everything become possible, and with which miraculously, the normal rules of the “business” world do not apply any more.
Luck was on my side.
While surfing on the Internet I found in Switzerland a group of engineers, Vincent Chritin, Eric Van Lancker, Xavier Falourd, as well as the inventor of the “flutter” Claude Liardet. They put themselves voluntarily at work with a strong amount of idealism, to
As a mother of a young 12 years old patient, I have often asked myself the question: “who could be interested in making the respiratory physiotherapy playful?” Of course, to believe that one can teach everything by entertainment would be an imaginary and fantasy idea, but for me it is not completely absurd. By exploring more deeply my idea I wondered who could really worry to make this therapy more attractive?
children are playing? How to modify this time of physiotherapy in a more pleasant moment, in order to stimulate his desire to make the physiotherapy?”. If only he had been able to use his breath in something which is motivating in spite to do his respiratory exercises staring at whatever he sees around him or watching the television and with a zero level concentration.
The patient himself?
Most often he will consider the physiotherapist as “a first choice target”
by harassing him a lot.
•
The physiotherapist? There is little chance: he is too much worried by his work to derogate peremptorily from his daily schedule.
•
•
From the idea
to the realization
Physiotherapy without problem or addicted to Physiotherapy?
When observing her son during the daily sessions of physiotherapy, Brigitte Bouzin has initiated with some engineers a computer game project which connects the Flutter to a video console. History of an adventure which needs the opinion of the users and of the professionals to continue.
An initiative which needs
to be consolidated
With this video game, a possible story has started in a good way and ends as well as possible because it does not end. Indeed, we are always opened to your suggestions about the way to progress in this adventure, which is quite a challenge. This new software is maybe a game in which we did
“I am not bored anymore when
making my physiotherapy”
I make my physiotherapy 2 times a day in the morning
At about 7 a.m. and in the evening at about 5 p.m. With
The “Flower”, I like to have the choice of the circuits and I
find it good to see the registered scores and to know when
I go beyond them. I think that the design on of the right of the screen is good where one can see the green bars which show the result of each breathing out in recommendations. When there is a overtaking, that encourages me. Also, when I play the game, everything seems faster and I am not bored any more when making my physiotherapy. I think it's funny, it is something special. When I blow during a too long period, I feel dizzy, but the sessions of physiotherapy have become easier.
Marc, first user, 12 years old
February, 2007 -
February, 2007 -