Voice command technology in mobile games for elderly people to encourage equal access and engagement

Abstract

This research was conducted to reflect the effectiveness of voice command features for improving accessibility and user satisfaction in mobile gaming for elderly people. By using the quantitative approach, with a structured questionnaire and a gameplay session was carried out with elderly participants by playing the voice-controlled game "Scream Go Hero." This study refers to the ease of use, user satisfaction, and accessibility improvements by highlighting positive user experiences with voice interaction compared to traditional touchscreen mobile phones. All the participants reported positive sign of comfort and engagement but there were some usability challenges also. The challenges include voice recognition issues in noisy environments and not comfortable in commanding loudly. The results provided important understanding for the developers and policymakers to develop improved voice controls for elderly users. Though this study has limitations as there was a small sample size and short testing duration. But this research tried to cover existing gap in accessibility from previous studies. And by emphasizing the importance of voice command technology potentiality to create inclusive mobile gaming experiences for elderly people.