Standard video games are applications whose development process often follows a traditional software methodology. Serious Games (SGs) are a tool with an immensely positive impact and great success. SGs enable learning and provide entertainment and self-empowerment, which motivates students. The development of an SG consists of complex processes requiring multi-disciplinary knowledge in multiple domains, including knowing the learning domain and adding the appropriate game mechanics to foster high intrinsic motivation and positive player experience that makes the players feel like they are having fun while learning. Otherwise, the game is viewed as boring and not as a fun and engaging activity. Nevertheless, despite their potential, the application of SGs in education has been limited in terms of pedagogy. Several authors assert that this lack is because SG standards and guidelines have not been developed. There is an imbalance between experts’ contributions to education and game design specialists for the SG development. Not all the SGs that have been developed have applied appropriate design methodologies that incorporate both the entertainment mechanics and the serious component. To ensure that an SG meets the user’s expectations, it must be designed using an appropriate method. This work aims to present iPlus, a methodology for designing SGs based on a participatory, flexible, and user-centered approach. Additionally, this paper analyses several case studies with the iPlus methodology.

This research presents the “LudoMinga” platform based on serious games designed to facilitate the learning process of people with intellectual disabilities. The platform is focused on providing an inclusive and accessible learning environment. Serious Games combines educational content with video game mechanics, and the platform aims to enhance the learning experience and promote active participation. Through an iterative development process, including user feedback and evaluations, the platform was developed using the iPlus methodology to align with the specific requirements of the target audience. Preliminary user test results indicate positive results in terms of user engagement, learning, and satisfaction. This accessible platform based on serious games promises to improve educational opportunities and outcomes for people with intellectual disabilities, ultimately fostering their personal and cognitive development. The success of the “LudoMinga” platform lies in the combination of interactive games, personalized support, and accessibility features, ultimately creating an engaging and effective learning environment. Continued advances in this area have the potential to unlock barriers for people with intellectual disabilities, fostering their growth, independence, and active participation in society.

The digital transformation of healthcare platforms has ushered in a new era of accessibility, making health information and services widely available. This comprehensive scoping review delves into the accessibility landscape of health platforms by analyzing 29 carefully selected research articles. These studies employ automated tools and manual evaluations to evaluate platform accessibility comprehensively. This study revealed that (52%) of these articles are based on automated methods, while 34% combine automated and manual approaches. Most studies show compliance with the latest versions of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), with a significant focus (70%) on compliance with level A. This study reveals recurring issues within the perceivable operable, understandable, and robust categories, underscoring the pressing need for strict the accessibility testing of health platforms. This study demonstrates substantial agreement between raters, reinforced by a Cohen’s kappa coefficient of 0.613, indicating their reliability in classifying the articles. Future efforts should persist in refining accessibility standards, advocating for compliance with the WCAG, exploring innovative methods to assess the accessibility of healthcare platforms, and conducting user-centered research. This review highlights the paramount importance of ensuring equitable access to health information and services for people, regardless of their abilities or conditions, which resonates significantly with the issue of sustainability in healthcare and its socioeconomic and environmental implications.

Serious games are increasingly recognized as valuable tools in educational settings due to their capacity to enhance learning through engaging and interactive experiences. However, existing usability evaluation instruments often fail to account for the specific features and pedagogical goals inherent to serious games, thereby limiting their utility in iterative design improvement. This study presents a usability evaluation questionnaire SGU specifically designed for serious games, developed through a systematic literature review (SLR) following the methodology of Kitchenham and Charters. The resulting tool is a standardized questionnaire intended to comprehensively assess key usability dimensions, including gameplay mechanics, interface design, narrative engagement, and gamification elements. The questionnaire was applied in multiple serious game case studies developed within educational contexts, allowing for the identification of recurring usability issues and context-specific design challenges. The findings highlight the instrument’s relevance, clarity, and diagnostic potential, demonstrating its practical value for evaluating and refining serious games. This research contributes to the field by addressing a critical gap in usability assessment and offering a structured, context-sensitive approach for improving user experience in educational game design.

The objective of this scoping review is to characterize the current panorama of inertia sensors for the rehabilitation of hip arthroplasty. In this context, the most widely used sensors are IMUs, which combine accelerometers and gyroscopes to measure acceleration and angular velocity in three axes. We found that data collected by the IMU sensors are used to analyze and detect any deviation from the normal to measure the position and movement of the hip joint. The main functions of inertial sensors are to measure various aspects of training, such as speed, acceleration, and body orientation. The reviewers extracted the most relevant articles published between 2010 and 2023 in the ACM Digital Library, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and Web of Science. In this scoping review, the PRISMA-ScR checklist was used, and a Cohen’s kappa coefficient of 0.4866 was applied, implying moderate agreement between reviewers; 23 primary studies were extracted from a total of 681. In the future, it will be an excellent challenge for experts in inertial sensors with medical applications to provide access codes for other researchers, which will be one of the most critical trends in the advancement of applications of portable inertial sensors for biomechanics.

This article focuses on the Accessible Platform for Respiratory Therapies (PAR), designed according to the iPlus methodology with the application of usability and accessibility criteria, following the guidelines of WCAG 2.1. PAR aims to improve the quality of life for individuals with lung diseases by providing therapeutic education to patients in respiratory recovery. This approach aligns with Sustainable Development Goals 3, 4, and 10 and follows a user-centered design, facilitating access to treatments and techniques to enhance pulmonary function. Additionally, the platform promotes the education and training of professionals in respiratory therapies, reducing disparities in access to healthcare. Sustainability is strengthened by integrating telemedicine technologies, improving efficiency, and reducing costs. Implementing Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 ensures accessibility and usability for all individuals, including those with disabilities. The combination of WCAG 2.1 and the CSUQ questionnaire not only ensures accessibility but also contributes to sustainability and overall improvement of the user experience, even for individuals with cognitive disabilities.