NeuroVivaUsability and Game Experience of a Fully Immersive Virtual Gym for Physical and Cognitive Training for Older Adults: A Multi-Method Study
Koubasi, F.; Fernandez-Cervantes, V.; Karamdel, H.; Ríos Rincón, A.M.; Stroulia, E.
JMIR Preprints
Advancing healthy aging through research, technology, and community
Programs
Programs designed around real needs
Each program pairs the right VR activities to a population and goal. All are available today.
Available now
Frailty Prevention & Management
Pre-frail and frail older adults
A guided program designed to help pre-frail and frail older adults build strength, maintain balance, and protect their independence through engaging VR activity.
- Strength building
- Fall risk reduction
- Independence
Available now
Mobility & Gait Training
Adults with mobility impairments
Designed for adults with mobility impairments, this program supports walking confidence, balance, and coordinated movement through structured VR exercises.
- Balance
- Walking confidence
- Coordination
Available now
Healthy Aging & Wellness
General older adult population
A wellness program for active older adults focused on staying mobile, engaged, and energized — bringing enjoyable movement into everyday routines.
- Mobility
- Engagement
- Everyday wellness
Available now
Parkinson's Disease Rehabilitation
Adults with Parkinson's disease
An evidence-informed program for adults living with Parkinson's disease, designed to support movement, coordination, and quality of life.
- Movement
- Coordination
- Quality of life
Available now
Upper Extremity Rehabilitation
Adults with upper limb deficits
A program for adults with upper limb deficits, supporting arm strength, range of motion, and coordination through targeted VR activities.
- Arm strength
- Range of motion
- Coordination
All programs run on the Healthy Aging Apps platform.
What We Do
Healthy aging and digital innovation
We explore how emerging technologies can support physical activity, cognitive health, independence, and quality of life.
Our work includes virtual reality, exergaming, wearable technologies, motion capture, and interactive digital tools designed for older adults and people living with neurological or neurodevelopmental conditions.
Does it meaningfully improve people's health, function, participation, or everyday experience?
Our areas of work
- Healthy Aging and Active Living
- Cognitive Health and Screening
- Mobility and Movement Assessment
- Virtual Reality and Exergaming
- Motion Capture and Wearable Technologies
- Parkinson's Disease and Neurological Rehabilitation
- Frailty and Age-Related Functional Changes
- Digital Literacy and Technology Adoption
- Usability and Accessibility
- Community-Based and Remote Health Technologies
Who We Serve
Built for everyone in the circle of care
From the people moving to the people supporting them — NeuroViva speaks to each.
Stay active, stay independent
Programs and studies that feel like play — building strength, balance, and confidence at your own pace.
- Fun and engaging
- Safe and accessible
- Build confidence
Research
Research with real-world impact
At NeuroViva, research is closely connected to the communities it is intended to serve. We collaborate with older adults, healthcare professionals, researchers, community organizations, and technology partners to evaluate whether new technologies are not only scientifically sound, but also usable, accessible, acceptable, and relevant in real-world settings.
Built on University of Alberta research
Developed by researchers in the Department of Computing Science, in collaboration with older adults — and continually validated through peer-reviewed work.
Meet the team- 10+
- Years of research
- 8
- Publications
- UAlberta
- Computing Science
Selected publications
8 papers · 2015–2026
Virtual Gym with Juicy Effects: A Study in Engaging Serious Silver Games
Cervantes, V.F.; Stroulia, E.; Thawonmas, R.; Xiao, Y.; Abdullah, F.
Replaying Japan (Workshop)
PhyDSLK: a Model-Driven Framework for Generating Exergames
Baldassarre, M.T.; Calvano, D.; Romano, S.; Cagnetta, F.; Cervantes, V.F.; Stroulia, E.
Multimedia Tools and Applications, Springer
Virtual-GymVR: A Virtual Reality Platform for Personalized Exergames
Cervantes, V.F.; Stroulia, E.
26th IEEE VR & 3D User Interfaces (Poster)
VirtualGym: A Kinect-based system for seniors exercising at home
Cervantes, V.F.; Neubauer, N.; Hunter, B.; Stroulia, E.; Liu, L.
Entertainment Computing, Elsevier
Effect of Kinect TAI CHI on Overall Health of Dementia Clients
Neubauer, N.; Cervantes, V.F.; Liu, L.; Stroulia, E.
Innovation in Aging, Oxford University Press
A Grammar-Based Framework for Rehabilitation Exergames
Fernandez-Cervantes, V.; Stroulia, E.; Hunter, B.
International Conference on Entertainment Computing
Serious games: Rehabilitation fuzzy grammar for exercise and therapy compliance
Cervantes, V.F.; Stroulia, E.; Oliva, L.; Gonzalez, F.; Castillo, C.
Games Entertainment Media Conference, IEEE
The Platform
More than games — a platform for progress
Behind the programs, the NeuroViva platform connects organizations, clinicians, and patients — so everyone in the circle of care can see progress over time.
Progress tracking
Sessions and activity recorded so improvement is visible over time.
Personalized care plans
Tasks and goals tuned to each patient by their clinician.
Secure messaging
Patients and clinicians stay connected between sessions.
Privacy by design
Patients approve who sees their data; clinical notes stay private.
Already using the NeuroViva platform?
Sign in to manage care plans, messages, and progress.
Get Involved
Taking part is the heart of our work
Research like ours only moves forward with the people it serves. Choose the level that fits you.
Step 1
Stay connected
Follow what we're working on and hear about programs and events as they open.
Visit neuroviva.caStep 2
Try a program
Join a session exploring movement, cognitive health, or new technology — no experience needed.
See our programsStep 3
Join a study
Help shape new approaches to healthy aging. Plain-language study details, with a named person to talk to.
Collaborate with usCollaborate With Us
Let's build healthier aging, together
We welcome collaboration with older adults, researchers, healthcare professionals, community organizations, universities, technology developers, and other non-profit and public-sector partners. Together, we aim to develop, evaluate, and share innovations that can make a meaningful contribution to healthy aging and neurological health.
- Older adults
- People living with neurological or neurodevelopmental conditions
- Researchers
- Healthcare professionals
- Community organizations
- Universities
- Technology developers
- Non-profit and public-sector partners
Our Mission
To help older adults, and people living with neurological or neurodevelopmental conditions, remain active, independent, engaged, and connected by advancing accessible, evidence-based approaches to health, rehabilitation, and participation.
NeuroViva is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving healthy aging, mobility, cognitive health, and participation through research, technology, education, and community collaboration.
We bring together expertise in rehabilitation, neuroscience, digital health, virtual reality, movement science, and community-based research to develop and evaluate practical, accessible solutions for older adults and people living with neurological or neurodevelopmental conditions.
Our Vision
A future designed around real human needs
We envision a future where people across the lifespan, including older adults and individuals living with neurological or neurodevelopmental conditions, can benefit from technologies and approaches that are accessible, evidence-based, meaningful, and designed around real human needs.
People
Greater opportunities to maintain, regain, or improve physical, cognitive, and everyday function.
Communities
Access to practical tools and resources.
Healthcare professionals
Better information to support prevention, rehabilitation, participation, and quality of life.
NeuroViva works to connect research, rehabilitation, technology, and community to help make that future possible.
The people behind NeuroViva
A small team spanning research, rehabilitation, business, and technology.
Meet the team