Airhockey over a distance

ABSTRACT

In modern society, people increasingly lack social interaction, although beneficial to work and personal life. Airhockey Over a Distance addresses this issue by recreating the social experience facilitated by physical game play in a distributed environment. We networked two airhockey tables and augmented them with a videoconference. Concealed mechanics on each table allow for a physical puck to be shot back and forth between the two locations. Supporting the hitting of a fast-moving, tangible puck between the two players creates a compelling social game experience which was confirmed by about 30 players. Our preliminary findings suggest that our casual physical game supports social interactions and contributes to an increased connectedness between people who are geographically apart.

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.5 INFORMATION INTERFACES AND PRESENTATION (I.7)
      H.5.2 User Interfaces (D.2.2, H.1.2, I.3.6)

Keywords:
air hockey, computer-mediated communication, connectedness, exertion interface, physical interface, social interaction, tangible interface, videoconference