Skip to main content
Springer Nature Link
Log in

Situated play in a tangible interface and adaptive audio museum guide

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Save article
View saved research
Personal and Ubiquitous Computing Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper explores the design issues of situated play within a museum through the study of a museum guide prototype that integrates a tangible interface, audio display, and adaptive modeling. We discuss our use of design ethnography in order to situate our interaction and to investigate the liminal and engagement qualities of a museum visit. The paper provides an overview of our case study and analysis of our user evaluation. We discuss the implications including degrees of balance in the experience design of play in interaction; the challenge in developing a discovery-based information model, and the need for a better understanding of the contextual aspects of tangible user interfaces (TUIs). We conclude that learning effectiveness and functionality can be balanced productively with playful interaction through an adaptive audio and TUI if designers balance the engagement between play and the environment, and the space between imagination and interpretation that links the audio content to the artifacts.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+
from €37.37 /Month
  • Starting from 10 chapters or articles per month
  • Access and download chapters and articles from more than 300k books and 2,500 journals
  • Cancel anytime
View plans

Buy Now

Price includes VAT (Netherlands)

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.
Fig. 2
The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.
Fig. 3
The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.
Fig. 4
The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.
Fig. 5
The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.
Fig. 6
The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.
Fig. 7
The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.
Fig. 8
The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.
Fig. 9
The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.
Fig. 10
The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.
Fig. 11
The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.
Fig. 12
The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.
Fig. 13
The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.
Fig. 14
The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.

Similar content being viewed by others

Explore related subjects

Discover the latest articles, books and news in related subjects, suggested using machine learning.

Notes

  1. The idea of using conversation analysis concepts as a structural metaphor for non-speech interfaces is not unique in HCI, see for example: Norman M.A., and Thoma P.J., “Informing HCI design through conversational analysis,” International Journal, Man–Machine Studies (35) 1991, 235–250.

  2. Its worthwhile to note that the TAC paradigm does not account for very minimal tangibles such as ec(h)o and Live Wire in which tokens and constraints are not related components but are integrated into one component alone such as a cube or wire.

  3. Technically there is no requirement to cover the cube color after a selection has been made since the recognition in the vision system is “gated” meaning once it recognizes a color it does not look for a new color until the next interaction cycle.

References

  1. Huizinga J (1964) Homo ludens: a study of the play-element in culture. Beacon Press, Boston

    Google Scholar 

  2. Carse JP (1987) Finite and infinite games. Ballantine Books, New York

    Google Scholar 

  3. Csikszentmihalyi M (1990) Flow: the psychology of optimal experience. Harper & Row, New York

    Google Scholar 

  4. Duncan C (1995) Civilizing rituals: Inside public art museums. Routledge, London

    Google Scholar 

  5. Bell G (2002) Making sense of museums: the museum as ‘cultural ecology’. Intel Labs, pp 1–17

  6. Bederson B (1995) Audio augmented reality: a prototype automated tour guide. In: Conference companion of the ACM conference on human factors in computing systems (CHI ’95), Denver, Colorado, pp 210–211

  7. Paterno F, Mancini C (2000) Effective levels of adaptation to different types of users in interactive museum systems. J Am Soc Inf Sci 51(1):5–13

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Bowen JP, Filippini-Fantoni S (2004) Personalization and the web from a museum perspective. In: Selected papers from the archives and museum informatics museums and web conference (MW2004), Arlington, Virginia, pp 63–78

  9. Benelli G, Bianchi A, Marti P, Not E, Sennari D (1999) HIPS: hyper-interaction within the physical space. In: Proceedings of the IEEE international conference on multimedia computing and systems (ICMCS ‘99), Florence, pp 1075–1078

  10. Oppermann R, Specht M (1999) A nomadic information system for adaptive exhibition guidance. In: Selected papers from the archives & museum informatics cultural heritage informatics (ICHIM99), Washington, pp 103–109

  11. Petrelli D, Not E, Zancanaro M, Strapparava C, Stock O (2001) Modelling and adapting context. Pers Ubiquitous Comput 5(20):20–24

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Alfaro I, Zancanaro M, Cappalletti A, Nardon M, Guerzoni A (2003) Navigating by knowledge. In: Proceedings of international conference on intelligent user interfaces (IUI ’03), Miami, pp 221–223

  13. Not E, Zancanaro M (2000) The macroNode approach: mediating between adaptive and dynamic hypermedia. In: Proceedings of the international conference on adaptive hypermedia and adaptive web-based systems, Trento, pp 167–178

  14. Aoki PM, Woodruff A (2000) Improving electronic guidebook interfaces using a task-oriented design approach. In: Proceedings of the ACM conference on designing interactive systems (DIS 2000), Brooklyn, New York, pp 319–325

  15. Aoki PM, Grinter RE, Hurst A, Szymanski MH, Thornton JD, Woodruff A (2002) Sotto voce: exploring the interplay of conversation and mobile audio spaces. In: Proceedings of the ACM conference on human factors in computing systems (CHI ’02), Minneapolis, Minnesota, pp 431–438

  16. Semper R, Spasojevic M (2002) The electronic guidebook: using portable devices and a wireless web-based network to extend the museum experience. In: Proceedings of the archives and museums informatics museums and the web conference (MW2002), Boston. Available at http://www.archimuse.com/mw2002/papers/semper/semper.html

  17. Proctor N, Tellis C (2003) The state of the art in museum handhelds in 2003. In: Proceedings of the archives and museums informatics museums and the web conference (MW2003), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Available at http://www.archimuse.com/mw2003/papers/proctor/procter.html

  18. Andolesk D, Freedman M (2001) Artifact as inspiration: using existing collections and management systems to inform and create new narrative structures. In: Proceedings of archives and museum informatics museums and the Web 2001 (MW2001), Pittsburgh. Available at http://www.archimuse.com/mw2001/papers/andolsek/andolsek.html

  19. Tap H (2004) Interactional features of a paper-based monitoring system. Pers Ubiquitous Comput 8:241–246

    Google Scholar 

  20. Bjork S, Holopainen J, Ljungstrand P, Akesson K-P (2002) Designing ubiquitous computing games—a report from a workshop exploring ubiquitous computing entertainment. Pers Ubiquitous Comput 6:443–458

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Pirhonen A, Brewster S, Holguin C (2002) Gestural and audio metaphors as a means of control for mobile devices. In: Proceedings in the ACM conference on human factors in computing systems (CHI ’02), Minneapolis, pp 291–298

  22. Brewster S, Lumsden J, Bell M, Hall M, Tasker S (2003) Multimodal “Eyes-Free’ interaction techniques for wearable devices. In: Proceedings of the ACM conference on human factors in computing systems (CHI ’03), Fort Lauderdale, pp 473–480

  23. Mynatt ED, Back M, Want R (1998) Designing audio aura. In: Proceedings in the ACM conference on human factors in computing systems (CHI ‘98), Los Angeles, pp 566–573

  24. Marti P (2001) Design for art and leisure. In: Proceedings of the Archives & Museum Informatics international cultural heritage informatics meeting (ICHIM01), Milan, pp 387–397

  25. Hummels C, Helm AVD (2004) ISH and the search for resonant tangible interaction. Pers Ubiquitous Comput 8(5):385–388

    Google Scholar 

  26. Ishii H, Ullmer B (1997) Tangible bits: towards seamless interfaces between people, bits and atoms. In: Proceedings of the ACM conference on human factors in computing systems (CHI ‘97), Atlanta, pp 234–241

  27. Fitzmaurice GW, Ishii H, Buxton WAS (1995) Bricks: laying the foundations for graspable user interfaces. In: Proceedings of the ACM conference on human factors in computing systems (CHI ’99), Denver, pp 442–449

  28. Hinckley K, Pausch R, Goble JC, Kassell NF (1994) Passive real-world interface props for neurosurgical visualization. In: Proceedings of the ACM conference on human factors in computing systems (CHI ’94), Boston, pp 452–458

  29. Ishii H, Wisneski C, Orbanes J, Chun B, Paradiso J (1999) PingPongPlus: design of an athletic-tangible interface for computer-supported cooperative play. In: Proceedings of the ACM conference on human factors in computing systems (CHI ’99), Pittsburgh, pp 394–401

  30. Crampton-Smith G (1995) The hand that rocks the cradle. ID magazine, pp 60–65

  31. Weiser M and Brown J (1995) Designing calm technology. Available at http://www.ubiq.com/weiser/calmtech/calmtech.htm Last viewed: 12 August 2005

  32. Andersen K (2004) ‘Ensemble’: playing with sensors and sound. In: Extended abstracts of the ACM conference on human factors in computing systems (CHI ’04), Vienna, pp 1239–1242

  33. Blythe MA (2003) Funology: from usability to enjoyment. Kluwer, Dordrecht

    Google Scholar 

  34. Picard R (1997) Affective computing. MIT Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  35. Norman DA (2004) Emotional design: why we love (or hate) everyday things. Basic Books, New York

    Google Scholar 

  36. Gaver B, Beaver J, Benford S (2003) Ambiguity as a resource for design. In: Proceedings of the ACM conference on human factors in computing systems (CHI ’03), Fort Lauderdale, pp 33–240

  37. Gaver B, Bowers J, Boucher J, Gellersen H-W, Pennington S, Schmidt A, Steed A, Villars N, Walker B (2004) The drift table: designing for ludic engagement. In: Proceedings of the ACM conference on human factors in computing systems (CHI ’04), Vienna, pp 885–900

  38. Galani A, Chalmers M (2004) Production of pace as collaborative activity. In: Proceedings of the ACM conference on human factors in computing systems (CHI ’04), Vienna, pp 1417–1420

  39. Djajadiningrat T, Wensveen S, Frens J, Overbeeke K (2004) Tangible products: redressing the balance between appearance and action. Pers Ubiquitous Comput 8(5):294–309

    Google Scholar 

  40. Petersen MG, Iversen OS, Krogh PG and Ludvigsen M (2004) Aesthetic interaction: a pragmatist’s aesthetics of interactive systems. In: Proceedings of the ACM conference on designing interactive systems (DIS 2004), Cambridge, pp 269–276

  41. Grønbæk K, Gundersen K, Mogensen P and Ørbæk P (2001) Interactive room support for complex and distributed design projects. In: Proceedings of the IFIP international conference of human–computer interaction (Interact ‘01), Tokyo, pp 407–414

  42. Lehn DV, Heath C, Hindmarsh J (2001) Exhibiting interaction: conduct and collaboration in museums and galleries. Symb Interact 24(2):189–216

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. Wakkary R and Evernden D (2005) Museum as ecology: a case study analysis of an ambient intelligent museum guide. In: Selected papers from archives and museum informatics museums and the web conference (MW 2005), Vancouver, pp 151–162

  44. Vygotsky LS (1925/1982) Consciousness as a problem in the psychology of behaviour. In: Weiber R, Wollock J (eds) Collected works: questions of the theory and history of psychology, Pedagogika, pp 63–80

  45. Nardi BA (1996) Context and consciousness: activity theory and human–computer interaction. MIT, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  46. Wakkary R, Newby K, Hatala M, Evernden D, Droumeva M (2004) Interactive audio content: The use of audio for a dynamic museum experience through augmented audio reality and adaptive information retrieval. In: Selected papers from Archives and Museum Informatics museums and the web conference (MW 2004), Arlington, Virginia, pp 55–60

  47. Wakkary R (2005) Framing complexity, design and experience: a reflective analysis. Digit Creativity 16(2):65–78

    Article  Google Scholar 

  48. Hatala M, Wakkary R (2005) Ontology-based user modeling in an augmented audio reality system for museums. User modeling and user-adapted interaction. J Pers Res 15(3–4):339–380

    Google Scholar 

  49. Shaer O, Leland N, Calvillo-Gamez EH, Jacob RJK (2004) The TAC paradigm: specifying tangible user interfaces. Pers Ubiquitous Comput 8(5):359–369

    Google Scholar 

  50. Fishkin KP (2004) A taxonomy for and analysis of tangible interfaces. Pers Ubiquitous Comput 8(5):347–358

    Google Scholar 

  51. Holmquist LE, Redström J, Ljungstrand P (1999) Token-based access to digital information. In: Proceedings of the 1st international symposium on handheld and ubiquitous computing (HUC ’99), Karlsruhe, pp 234–245

  52. Ullmer B, Ishii H (2001) Emerging frameworks for tangible user interfaces. In: Carroll JM (ed) Human–computer interaction in the new millennium. Addison-Wesley, New York, pp 579–601

    Google Scholar 

  53. Ullmer B, Ishii H, Jacob RJK (2005) Token + Constraint systems for tangible interaction with digital information. ACM Trans Comput Hum Interact 12(1):81–118

    Article  Google Scholar 

  54. Hatala M, Wakkary R, Kalantari L (2005) Rules and ontologies in support of real-time ubiquitous application. Web Semantics Sci Serv Agents World Wide Web 3(1):5–22

    Article  Google Scholar 

  55. Hatala M, Kalantari L, Wakkary R and Newby K (2004) Ontology and rule based retrieval of sound objects in augmented audio reality system for museum visitors. In: Proceedings of the ACM symposium on applied computing (SAC 2004), Nicosia, pp 1045–1050

  56. Miller C and Funk HB (2001) Verification through user value: or ‘How to avoid drinking your own bathwater in ubicomp evaluations’. In: Presented at the Evaluation Methodologies workshop at the 3rd international conference on ubiquitous computing (Ubicomp 2001), Atlanta. Available at http://zing.ncsl.nist.gov/ubicomp01/papers/Ubicompeval3.doc

  57. Bartle R (1996) Players who suit MUDs. J Mud Res 1(1)

  58. Goßmann J, Specht M (2002) Location models for augmented environments. Pers Ubiquitous Comput 6(5–6):334–340

    Article  Google Scholar 

  59. Blattner M, Sumikawa D, Greenberg R (1989) Earcons and icons: Their structure and common design principles. Hum Comput Interact 4(1):11–44

    Article  Google Scholar 

  60. Levin G, Yarin P (1999) Bringing sketching tools to keychain computers with an acceleration-based interface. In: Extended abstracts of the ACM conference on human factors in computing systems (CHI ‘99), Pittsburgh, pp 268–269

  61. Piper B, Ratti C, Ishii H (2002) Hands-on interfaces: illuminating clay: a 3-D tangible interface for landscape analysis. In: Proceedings of the ACM conference on human factors in computing systems (CHI ’02), Minneapolis, pp 355–362

Download references

Acknowledgments

Work presented in this paper is supported by a Canarie Inc. grant under the E-Content program. Authors would especially like to thank Dr. Mark Graham and his colleagues at the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa for their enthusiastic support of this project. We would also like to thank our colleagues and students, Kenneth Newby, Dale Evernden, Leila Kalantari, Doreen Leo, Gilly Mah, Robb Lovell, Mark Brady, Jordan Willms and Phil Thomson for their contributions.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Interactive Arts and Technology, Simon Fraser University, Surrey, BC, Canada, V3T 2W1

    Ron Wakkary & Marek Hatala

Authors
  1. Ron Wakkary
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Marek Hatala
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ron Wakkary.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Wakkary, R., Hatala, M. Situated play in a tangible interface and adaptive audio museum guide. Pers Ubiquit Comput 11, 171–191 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00779-006-0101-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00779-006-0101-8

Keywords