Designing and evaluating UbiBall: a ubiquitous computing game for children

Abstract

This paper provides an overview of a recent project called UbiBall – a ubiquitous exergame game developed by researchers at the Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. We survey the emerging field of exergaming, cover the design goals and processes and summarise the results obtained from our initial user testing. UbiBall features a ubiquitous computing ball outfitted with a microcontroller. The microcontroller emits sound and light in accordance with the various ways it is interacted with. It also data logs the play activity to a file, which then acts as a bridge between two modes of gameplay, one that is physical and active, and another that is a screen-based game. Ultimately, the game provided a fun and particularly active example of mobile exergaming for the children participants who tested the system.