The Rock ‘em Sock ‘em hack

- Manali Gortekar Yishi Yang

Concept:This game is essentially a boxing game where two robots fight with each other until one of them loses.

Number of players: Two

Prototype link : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eysrYnNP1c

Mechanics:The game has a plastic wrestling ring bed on which two robots are mounted. These robots are operated by joysticks which are attached as an extension to the either side of the bed. On pressing a joystick, robot punches. Two joysticks correspond to two hands of the robot. They have limited space within which they can move and dodge from punch. On punching the head of the opponent robot several times, it springs up. This indicates the other player has lost the game.

Robots

Joysticks

Wrestling ring bed

Concept

Research Design

Prototyping

Lessons learned

Arduino enhancements :

1. Eyes of the robots lit up by LEDs.

2. LED’s on the wrestling ring bed to keep a count of how many games each player has won.

3. A button on the side of wrestling bed to start music while playing the game.

4. Robots trash talking during the game.

To indicate that player is still in the game.

To showcase number of points a player has scored.

To make the gaming experience more immersive.

To make the boxing game more competitive.

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Concept

Research Design

Prototyping

Lessons learned Trash talking button

Robot eyes

Music button

Points recorder

ResearchAs a part of research for this assignment, we visited Wonderlab science museum in Bloomington, IN to observe different ways children interact with toys. We wanted to study how different dimensions of engagement, learning, creativity and playfulness are adjusted in every exhibit object. We went there with an open mind to derive inspiration from the various ways natural properties are utilized to create a playful and interactive experience for museum visitors. We narrowed our user focus group to teenagers age between 10 - 16 years.

Few of the interesting observations we came across in the exhibit was one that of an “Earthquake shake table” (img. 1) where a player has to build a wooden structure and connect them by pipes to sustain the jerky movements of table. We observed

that the degree of active participation and learning aspect of that game kept players engaged for a long time. The other exhibit example was that of “lift you own weight” (img. 2) where maximum three players compete to reach to the top of a structure by lifting their own weight by rope. The competition aspect of the game added dramatically to the playfulness. The third interesting exhibit object enabled visitors to leave their impression. The interesting mode of feedback and novel usage of materials attracted visitors to this engaging experience of the object.

In addition to this museum exhibit visit, we also visited Target store to explore available options of analog toys . We did onsite brainstorming session of interesting analog toys to discuss their possible experience enhancement with arduino and finally decided on the “rock ‘em sock ‘em “ toy.

img. 1 img. 2 img. 3

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Intended user groupThe intended user group for enhanced version of “Rock ‘em Sock ‘em” toy is teenagers between age 10 to 16 years.

Intended context of useThis toy can be used as a game played between two friends in an outdoor party. We imagine this toy to be played by teenagers in their pajama party. It can also be played by adults for their bachelor/bachelorette party.

Goals for the experienceChris conley et al. from Institute of design, Illinois have classified engaging experience in four different realms: 1. Entertainment

engagement 2. Education engagement 3. Escapist engagement 4. Aesthetic engagement. We intend to provide players escapist engagement where they could escape from their normal, daily reality for some time. This form of escapism is necessary for a person as it is not usually a part of their daily life.

We intend to solidify this experience of escapism by focusing more on two parameters mainly user active participation and immersion. The active participation aspect is addressed by the competitive nature of the toy design which was already a part of it before it was hacked. Through arduino, we intend to create more immersive experience by enhancing the existing toy with different modes of feedback like light in the form of LEDs and sound in the form of speakers while playing.

<<http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007%2F978-3-642>>

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Why should HCI care ?Play is a psychological necessity. It very important for an individual’s social, emotional, physical and creative development. Playing increasing social competency and emotional maturity. It provides a way to express and cope with feelings. It also contributes to overall body awareness and creative thoughts.

There can be several intentions for playing this game. The escapist engagement can actively contribute to an individual’s social development. It can enable players to practice verbal and non-verbal communication skills while playing and respond well to each other’s feelings. The competitive aspect may enable an individual to experience other’s point of view by working through conflict’s

about space, material and rules. Players can also relate escapism as experimenting with different roles , in our case boxers, by coming in contact with their needs and wishes which they would have never experienced in their real lives. Since this is not an individual game, the added dimension of player’s emotional maturity while competing with each other, quick decision ability and practice for spontaneous action adds more to the advantanges of playing this game.

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Early concepts1. Dance Mattress

While going through the toy store, we came across a dance mattress where a player has to place his foot on a selected areas in an attempt to match dance step along with the music. The original analog version of this toy was just a mattress with marked areas. The brainstorming session of using arduino technology with this toy led us to add both visual and sound feedback as a way to enhance experience. A player will be given a sample dance step to match in the form of light patterns which would be different colors LEDs glowing on different areas of mattress. These LEDs will have pressure sensor and will glow if a person places his foot on them. The player would be able to see if he is matching with the given patterns and music that goes with this step simultaneously. We thought that the degree of active participation would be much higher as player has to utilize his entire body while playing this game

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Early concepts2. Changing Barbie

This toy design utilizes conductive fabric to dress up a Barbie doll. The fabric will basically change into different colors and textures depending on user’s input. User will select a color and texture to be formed on the dress of doll on computer screen and the doll will lit up with different dress all the time. We thought that this would be an immersive experience as it involves learning and experimenting the fashion in endless ways. The immediate visual feedback on the doll might add more to it.

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Early concepts3. Driving Madness

This analog toy is essentially navigating a steering wheel to drive the car and reach to destination bypassing all the hurdles. Player get to see the route on a small screen in the middle of the steering wheel. We thought the idea of balancing and navigating a car would be interesting as it requires players to concentrate till they accomplish their task. Few toy enhancements we thought about were - giving sound feedback while driving to make it more realistic, visual feedback of the location of car in map and feedback in the form of vibration when a player clashes on to a hurdle.

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Final conceptRock ‘em Sock ‘em

This game is essentially a boxing game where two robots fight with each other until one of them loses.

Concept

Research

Design Prototyping Arduino hacking Process Reflection

Lessons learned

Arduino enhancement1. Eyes of the robots are lit up by LEDs indicating player is still in the game. The moment head of either robot springs up, eyes stop glowing. This indicates robot is dead and player has lost his game.

Rationale: To make those robots more ‘real’ and give visual feedback to players for when should they start playing.

Technical stuff: There is a photo sensor which senses the motion of head and causes LEDs to glow. The moment head springs up, photo sensor senses and LEDs stop glowing.

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Design Prototyping Arduino hacking Process Reflection

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Circuit - 01

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LED 10K ResistorPhoto sensorArduino

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Arduino enhancement2. LED’s on the wrestling ring bed to keep a count of how many games each player has won. The no. of games a player wins, those no. of LED’s glow. This system essentially tells us how many points a player has scored.

Rationale: We wanted to showcase a scoreboard because of the competitive nature of the game.

Technical stuff: We coded the point recording system in Arduino. We modified the serial button code in examples library to make it work.

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Circuit - 02

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LED 10K ResistorPhoto sensorArduino

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Arduino enhancement3. A button on the side of wrestling bed to start the music while playing the game.

Rationale: To make the experience of playing the game more enjoyable and immersive.

Technical stuff: Code to play music on pressing a button. We stored the music in the form of .wav file in SD card attached to the circuit. This circuit is hidden below the wrestling ring bed.

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Circuit - 03

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LED 300Ohm ResistorPhoto sensorArduino

Switch

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Arduino enhancement4. Robots trash talking during the game.

Rationale: To leverage the “competitive” nature of the game and make the overall experience more engaging. To introduce a comical element in order to loosen up the tension between players.

Technical stuff: Code is similar to the one for playing music. There are several .wav files stored in the SD card of the circuit. There is also a button to either side of the wrestling bed besides joysticks. When the a player presses a button, it triggers the trash talking sound.

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Circuit - 04

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LED 300Ohm ResistorPhoto sensorArduino

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Design Prototyping Arduino hacking Process Reflection

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Process1. Research:Soon after we got this project we started exploring different ways existing toys can be made more playful and engaging. We did secondary research to come up with some ideas regarding different forms of feedback mechanism toys use. We could not really do much of concept sketching or take any major decisions before analyzing existing analog toy options.

2. Field Visit:We visited the field site mainly to explore different forms of engagement museum exhibit has installed and get inspired by their creative usage of different materials and their

natural properties.

3. Store Visit:The next step was visit to a local toy store. We explored a lot of options and simultaneously discussed on possible arduino enhancements. After considering several toys, we decided on “Rock ‘em Sock ‘em” because of the two player boxing game challenge. We played the game onsite and found the that to be very engaging. Playing the game helped us in thinking through what additional arduino enhancements could later be added to this game to make it even better.

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Design Prototyping Arduino hacking Process Reflection

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Process4. Hacking decisions:We decided on the main arduino enhancements we wanted this toy to have. We drew inspiration from Toy hack exemplar of Zach lovall and Alberto Samaniego - our previous cohort friends, in the process.

5. Prototyping:We started making stuff. Considering available time and skills we had, we practiced arduino to get more comfortable with this new technology. We hacked the toy, dismantled every single part of it and observed the materiality and connections.

6. Documentation:We made a working prototype and shot video of it. Finally documented our process.

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Design Prototyping Arduino hacking Process Reflection

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Reflection

How do the input and output methods you chose to speak to the intended experiences and context of use ?

The intended experience we want players to have is one that falls on the realm of escapism and joyfulness. We want players to have an engaging experience while competing with their opponent.

There are three different inputs to this toy. One input is in the form of joystick which facilitate punch actions of robots, other is in the form of a button that is used to produce the sound of trash talking and the third input is also button for playing music. The joystick input method induces playful aspect to the overall gaming experience. Holding it by both the hands and pressing it for robot punching is very intuitive. The trash talk button input method is also intuitive in terms of operating it. It is placed closer to the joystick so that player can reach for it easily while playing. The music button is placed equidistant to both the players. It basically to start the game.

The button input form is one of the most common form of input methods familiar to everyone. There is almost zero learning curve on how to operate it. Due to the competitive

nature of the game, we wanted players to be able to give input effortlessly. Hence the choice of buttons.

The output method is mainly in the form of visual and audio feedback. The eyes of robots lit up during the game. This is to add human element to the robot. The output of point recording system is also in the form of LEDs. This is because it is easier to perceive number of LEDs glowing than to read a number on digital display. A player can know how much he has scored by looking at the glowing LEDs from his peripheral vision more accurately than from a display number. The audio feedback of trash talking and music is mainly to add to the gaming environment and create it an immersive experience. The audio feedback is also for a player to get into the mode of playing a game and get excited about it.

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Design Prototyping Arduino hacking Process Reflection

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Reflection

How does your concept evolve while working with the material ?

We started off with a rough idea of how things should work but changed our direction while prototyping due to constraints on materials, skills and time.

Initially, we made a circuit to sense the motion of head springing up. Our core idea was to lit LEDs of Robot’s eyes. The eyes will glow when the circuit is closed else it won’t. We coded the arduino part and figured out all the hardware connections. It worked well first few times but later maintenance of hardware and software connectivity got difficult. In an attempt to fix this, we then used photo sensor to sense the motion of robot’s head springing up. Thus in this case, the initial idea got deployed successfully with changed working mechanism.

We never had any point system feature in our minds when we started. The idea of player scoring points evolved and got developed while working on arduino code of serial LEDs.

We used waveshield chip for sound feedback mechanism in the toy. This decision to use the chip was not one of the best decisions as it coasted us a lot more time and effort

than we expected. Our major chunk of prototyping time was taken by sound feedback mechanism but we made it work towards the end.

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Design Prototyping Arduino hacking Process Reflection

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Lessons learned

What would you do differently if you were to do it again ?

Firstly, we would start with this project right from Day 01 to work on arduino. With available time and skills we could only explore limited options. Dealing with both the software part of arduino and hardware part of toy took lot of time than we expected.

Secondly, we wished we could have more flexibility to try different circuits at early stage of prototype working. We had already soldered few circuits and fixed wire on the robot before working on code.

The sound feedback chip took us a lot of time to get that working. We wished we could have directly purchased a ready made sound chip which could have saved us some time. We had to meticulously solder every connection to make it work but we learned a new technique.

What would you have liked to have included ?

We would include more feedback mechanisms to the toy by exploiting different properties of available sensors. Due to the limited time period, we could only include audio and visual feedback mechanism in the toy. The

other options we would have liked to have included are:1. Feedback in the form of vibration (sensory feedback) when a robot punches the other.2. Robots producing punching sounds. 3. Give other options than punching to fight with the opponent robot.

What would you like to be able to do with Arduino next ?

We would like to make a scary halloween costume next year with arduino. We would like to design a face where eyes would be made from LEDs. These LEDs will glow in a pattern that can simulate blinking of eyes. There is a video tutorial available online that enables people to change their voice via arduino code. We would like to modify that to have scarier voice when we speak.

Link : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HZFY4Xti7k

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Hacked toy

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Hacked toy

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Hacked toy