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Investigating the effects of motion-based Kinect game system on user cognition

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Abstract

Kinect, which is useful as a multimodal input device, offers multiple features such as voice recognition, facial tracking, object recognition, and gesture recognition. Games with such human-centred, interactive interfaces create an environment that bridges between artificial and natural cognitive capabilities, enabling them to work together more efficiently. This study specifically examines a usability evaluation method that uses Kansei engineering knowledge to identify and remedy difficulties related to user interface development. As a practical application of the suggested evaluation method, we used a particular serious game, “The Glider,” a prototype developed by Serious Games Finland. It exploits Kinect as its game controller. Serious games are usually aimed at promoting specific effects that can be achieved through playing the game. However, such effects can also present tradeoffs in terms of usability. Controlling motions in “The Glider” has been developed in close cooperation with medical doctors, physiotherapists, and patients in terms of well-being and light exercise. However, modulating the difficulty balance and usability of the game is also a very important aspect of game development. As described in this paper, our goal is to evaluate the control motion of the game from a usability perspective. Evaluation consists of state and appearance observations conducted with 12 Japanese subjects. Observed data were tagged into several categories to quantize their behaviours and speeches, and were analysed using both cognitive bias evaluation and statistical evaluation. Results show that difficulties for subjects in control motions of the game were curved out, which is a key to balancing usability and difficulty while maintaining the genuine purpose of the serious game.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank all participants in the game development, doctors and physiotherapists in Carea, developers at Serious Games Finland, and students who helped us conduct experiments. Additionally, we would like to thank Mr. Fusao Sato, Director Hiroshi Yoshimura from the Sendai—Finland Well-being Center, and professors of the Sendai National College of Technology for their fruitful cooperation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Institute of Electrical Communication, Tohoku University, 2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba-ward, Sendai, Japan

    Akihito Nakai

  2. Turku University of Applied Science, Turku, Finland

    Aung Pyae & Mika Luimula

  3. Sendai National College of Technology, Natori, Japan

    Satoshi Hongo

  4. Serious Games Finland, Helsinki, Finland

    Hannu Vuola

  5. University of Turku, Turku, Finland

    Aung Pyae & Jouni Smed

Authors
  1. Akihito Nakai
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  2. Aung Pyae
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  3. Mika Luimula
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  4. Satoshi Hongo
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  5. Hannu Vuola
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  6. Jouni Smed
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Correspondence to Akihito Nakai.

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Nakai, A., Pyae, A., Luimula, M. et al. Investigating the effects of motion-based Kinect game system on user cognition. J Multimodal User Interfaces 9, 403–411 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12193-015-0197-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12193-015-0197-0

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