Title: Tangible interaction and tabletops: new horizons for children's games

Authors: Javier Marco; Eva Cerezo; Sandra Baldassarri

Addresses: Advanced Computer Graphics Group (GIGA), Department of Computer Science, Engineering Research Institute of Aragon (I3A), University of Zaragoza, Ed. Ada Byron, Campus Río Ebro, C/ María de Luna n.1, Zaragoza 50015, Spain ' Advanced Computer Graphics Group (GIGA), Department of Computer Science, Engineering Research Institute of Aragon (I3A), University of Zaragoza, Ed. Ada Byron, Campus Río Ebro, C/ María de Luna n.1, Zaragoza 50015, Spain ' Advanced Computer Graphics Group (GIGA), Department of Computer Science, Engineering Research Institute of Aragon (I3A), University of Zaragoza, Ed. Ada Byron, Campus Río Ebro, C/ María de Luna n.1, Zaragoza 50015, Spain

Abstract: This paper presents the design process of a set of games involving tangible interaction using toys handled on an active surface tabletop. The games are oriented to young children, so special care has been taken to involve them in a child-centred design life cycle. The iterative nature of this design paradigm was supported by frequent test sessions, where data relating to usability and fun was captured and analysed in order to guide successive design iterations until a finished product was achieved. Details are given of how data collected from test sessions with children helped to create, evolve and improve the games and toys. The final aim of our work is to bring recent proposals in natural interaction closer to young children, adapting them to children's development and preferences.

Keywords: young children; active surface tabletops; tangibles; user centred design; usability; evaluation methods; games; toys; tangible interaction; child centred design; preferences.

DOI: 10.1504/IJART.2012.046272

International Journal of Arts and Technology, 2012 Vol.5 No.2/3/4, pp.151 - 176

Published online: 27 Nov 2014 *

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