AbleGames · Project

Personalized Gaming Platform That Turns Physical Therapy for Cerebral Palsy Into Play

healthPilotedTRL 7

Imagine if kids with cerebral palsy could do their physical therapy by playing video games with friends online — instead of repetitive, boring exercises in a clinic. That's what AbleGames built: a gaming platform that uses cameras and balance sensors to track each player's movements, then automatically adjusts the game difficulty to match their abilities. The AI behind it learns what each person can do and pushes them just enough to make real rehab progress while keeping it fun and social. It grew out of an earlier EU project called GABLE that proved the concept works.

By the numbers

2 per 1,000 births

Cerebral palsy prevalence rate

0.7 million

People with CP in the EU

17 million

People with CP globally

€45,000/year

Therapy cost per patient

Pilot validation sites

99,000

Target users within 5 years

€42 million

Projected accumulated income in 5 years

900%

Projected average ROI

€150 million/year

Projected reduction in EU medical/social care costs

60 direct + 300 indirect

Jobs to be created

The business problem

What needed solving

Cerebral palsy affects 2 in every 1,000 births, with 0.7 million people living with CP in the EU alone. Traditional physical therapy is repetitive, expensive (up to €45,000/year), and suffers from low patient engagement — especially among young people. There is no major gaming platform designed for or usable by people with CP, leaving a gap between what digital health could deliver and what patients actually get.

The solution

What was built

The project delivered an operational web-based gaming platform with AI-driven personalization, including: a complete integrated AbleGames service (web-driven configuration and software), commercial-quality multiplayer games adapted to individual abilities, and social media integration connecting users with peer support communities. The system uses balance sensors and machine-learning-based vision systems for player interaction.

Audience

Who needs this

Rehabilitation clinics and physical therapy centers specializing in neurological conditionsHealth insurance companies and social care authorities managing CP treatment budgetsAssistive technology distributors looking for proven digital health productsHospital procurement managers seeking evidence-based gamified therapy toolsSpecial education institutions serving children and youth with motor disabilities

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Healthcare & Rehabilitation

any

Target: rehabilitation clinics and therapy centers

If you are a rehabilitation clinic dealing with low patient engagement and high dropout rates in cerebral palsy therapy — this project developed a web-based gaming platform that personalizes physical exercises as multiplayer games. With therapy costing up to €45k/year per patient, improving adherence through gamification could significantly reduce wasted treatment spend. The system was tested at 7 pilot sites across Europe.

Assistive Technology & Gaming

SME

Target: game studios or assistive tech companies

If you are a game studio or assistive technology company looking for an underserved market of 17m people with cerebral palsy globally (0.7m in the EU alone) — this project built commercial-quality accessible games using machine learning and non-immersive virtual reality. The platform uses low-cost vision systems and balance sensors, meaning hardware costs stay manageable. The coordinator HuginTech is a multi-platform game provider driving commercialization.

Health Insurance & Social Care

enterprise

Target: health insurers and social care providers

If you are a health insurer or social care authority facing rising costs for cerebral palsy care — this project's platform aims to reduce EU medical and social care costs by €150m/year through more effective home-based therapy. The subscription model (domestic and institutional channels) means predictable costs compared to traditional clinic-based therapy at €45k/year per patient. The system was validated at 7 pilot sites before the project closed.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What does the service cost and how is it priced?

The project planned a subscription-based model with both domestic (individual/family) and institutional (clinic/hospital) channels. Specific subscription pricing is not disclosed in the project data. The projected business case targets €42m accumulated income within 5 years from an estimated 99k users.

Can this scale to serve large patient populations?

The platform is web-driven and designed for online delivery, which supports scaling without proportional infrastructure growth. The project targeted 99k users within 5 years and projected 60 direct and 300 indirect jobs to support that growth. It was validated across 7 pilot sites in multiple countries.

What is the IP situation and can we license this technology?

The project was coordinated by HuginTech AS (Norway), a commercial game provider and SME that drives commercialization. The consortium of 4 partners across 4 countries (Norway, Spain, Ireland, Ukraine) would hold the IP. Licensing or partnership inquiries would need to go through HuginTech as the lead commercial partner.

Is this clinically validated or just a tech demo?

The system was tested at 7 pilot sites with ongoing feedback loops. It builds on the successful GABLE H2020 project (GA732363) that proved the underlying serious gaming concept. The project aimed to move from TRL6 to TRL9 (commercial service) by the end of the project period.

How does it integrate with existing clinic systems?

The platform is a web-driven system that uses low-cost hardware — balance sensors and smart vision systems based on machine learning. It includes social media integration for community support. Based on available project data, it operates as a standalone service rather than requiring deep integration with hospital IT systems.

What hardware do patients need at home?

Players interact using balance sensors and smart low-cost vision systems — no expensive VR headsets required. The platform uses non-immersive virtual reality, meaning standard screens work. The emphasis on 'low-cost' hardware suggests consumer-grade equipment is sufficient.

When will this be commercially available?

The project ran from September 2020 to August 2022 and is now closed. The objective stated a TRL9 commercial service within 3 years. Based on available project data, the deliverables include a 'Commercial Quality Operational Games' package and a complete integrated service, suggesting the platform reached operational status.

Consortium

Who built it

The AbleGames consortium is compact and commercially oriented: 4 partners across 4 countries (Norway, Spain, Ireland, Ukraine) with a 75% industry ratio and 3 out of 4 partners being SMEs. This is a business-driven project, not an academic exercise. The coordinator HuginTech AS is a Norwegian SME and established multi-platform game provider, which gives the project a credible path to market. The single university partner likely handles clinical validation while the three industry partners focus on technology development and commercialization. The lean structure means faster decision-making but also concentration risk — the project's commercial success heavily depends on HuginTech's execution.

HUGINTECH ASCoordinator · NO
THE NATIONAL MICROELECTRONICS APPLICATIONS CENTRE LTDparticipant · IE
UNIVERSITAT ROVIRA I VIRGILIparticipant · ES

How to reach the team

HuginTech AS is a Norwegian SME and game provider — their team can be reached through the project website or professional networks

Order a report on this consortium See HUGINTECH AS profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore licensing AbleGames technology for your clinic or platform? SciTransfer can facilitate an introduction to the development team and help structure a partnership.

Order a report on this topic More in Health & Biomedical