iSIG-Blocks: interactive creation blocks for tangible geometric games

• Published in: IEEE transactions on consumer electronics Vol. 61; no. 4; pp. 420 - 428
• Main Authors: Jeong, Donghwa, Lee, Kiju
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York IEEE 01-11-2015; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Adults; Assembly; Automation; Complexity; Complexity theory; Computer programs; Consumption; Games; Geometric Games; Interactive; Light emitting diodes; Sensor-Embedded Blocks; Sensors; Shape; Tangible Games; Tangible User Interface; Vibration; Visualization
• ISSN: 0098-3063; 1558-4127
• DOI: 10.1109/TCE.2015.7389795

This paper presents interactive creation blocks, called iSIG-Blocks (interactive SIG-Blocks), for automated tangible geometric games. iSIG-Blocks can detect physical motions and assembly configurations using embedded sensors. Each block features programmable LED display, a buzzer, and a vibration motor to provide sensory feedback to the player. A graphical user interface and tangible pattern design software (TAPware) were also developed for game administration, performance monitoring, and game customization. TAPware incorporates a computational measure of geometric complexity for generating game items of varying difficulty levels. For preliminary evaluation, a tangible memory game, Memorix, was developed and tested on a small group of young adults (N=12). The test results revealed that accuracy in correctness and in manipulation speed measurements was over 98%. Also, high correlation was found between the game performance and the complexity measure (r=0.84, p<;0.01). Parameter sensitivity analysis revealed that the participants' failure rate was more sensitive to color than to length or geometric shape, used in the game pattern.