Brain Powered Games Africa

Release Date: March 2013

Working with MSU neurologists and psychiatrists, a version of Brain Powered Games has been customized for the African context. After piloted and early version of the game as a Computerized cognitive rehabilitation therapy (CCRT) in Malawi with children with cerebral malaria, a new version of the cognitive games were built and tested in Uganda with HIV inflected children. The game was created for the iPad, Windows, and Mac.

The game has been shown to provide a valuable tool to address both Malaria and HIV-associated neurocognitive deficits in adolescences in sub-Saharan Africa. We are actively exploring additional funding avenues to continue this work.

Scholarly Merit:

Peer Reviewed Exhibitions:

• Winn, B., Novak., B., Boivin, M., Giordani, B. Brain Powered Games – Africa. Exhibited at the International Academic Conference on Meaningful Play, October 2014, East Lansing, MI.

Peer Reviewed Journal Articles:

• Giordani, B., Novak, B., Sikorskii, A., Bangirana, P., Nakasujja, N., Winn, B., Boivin, M. (2015). Designing and evaluating Brain Powered Games for cognitive training and rehabilitation in at-risk African children. Global Mental Health, vol. 2, January, 2015.

Invited Academic Talks:

• Boivin, M., Winn, B. Computers and Cognitive Function. July 21, 2014. Talk at the University of Cape Town. Cape Town, South Africa.