Neurofeedback and Serious Games

Neuroscience as well as computer gaming have rapidly advanced in the last decades. Yet, the combination of both fields is still in its infancy. One example of an emerging alliance is neurofeedback, where participants are required to learn controlling their own brain activity. So far, this kind of training is mostly applied in therapeutic settings, for example improving symptoms in epilepsy, attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder, or autism spectrum disorder. However, there are some promising approaches that used neurofeedback in everyday situations for healthy subjects. This may prove especially valuable for serious games that aim to improve learning capabilities and cognitive aspects of individual users. The following chapter introduces the basic concepts and standards of neurofeedback. The different non-invasive imaging techniques are introduced along with successful applications in neurofeedback. Finally, benefits and pitfalls for future combinations of neurofeedback and games are discussed: while the former may profit from realistic and motivating video scenarios, the latter is expected to be a tool for evaluating and monitoring the direct effects on the user’s brain. Manuel Ninaus University of Graz, Austria Matthias Witte University of Graz, Austria Silvia E. Kober University of Graz, Austria Elisabeth V. C. Friedrich University of Graz, Austria Jürgen Kurzmann University of Graz, Austria Erwin Hartsuiker Mind Media BV, The Netherlands Christa Neuper University of Graz, Austria & Graz University of Technology, Austria Guilherme Wood University of Graz, Austria