CommuniTable – Multi-touch Interaction for Children

In the winter term 2015/2016, bachelor students (Applied Cognitive and Media Science and Applied Computer Science) developed two multi-touch table games for children. The main idea was to encourage communication and social interaction of young patients by implementing a multi-touch table with playful applications in a hospital waiting area. Students should come up with concepts of applications that can foster social interaction among children and their parents who are waiting for a treatment. The project is based on a longstanding collaboration between the Entertainment Computing Group and the Clinic for Pediatrics of the university hospital Essen, dealing with the research of new media technologies in the medical sector. 

To investigate how communication and interaction can be fostered by a multi-touch table, the first step was a situation analysis and the assessment of potentials and limitations of the setting. Subsequently, different scenarios and concepts were developed and implemented in form of two evaluation prototypes. Those were then evaluated in a user study with several groups of children. All children enjoyed the games and study results indicate that the games can indeed encourage communication among users in a pleasant atmosphere.In the winter term 2015/2016, bachelor students (Applied Cognitive and Media Science and Applied Computer Science) developed two multi-touch table games for children. The main idea was to encourage communication and social interaction of young patients by implementing a multi-touch table with playful applications in a hospital waiting area. Students should come up with concepts of applications that can foster social interaction among children and their parents who are waiting for a treatment. The project is based on a longstanding collaboration between the Entertainment Computing Group and the Clinic for Pediatrics of the university hospital Essen, dealing with the research of new media technologies in the medical sector.

To investigate how communication and interaction can be fostered by a multi-touch table, the first step was a situation analysis and the assessment of potentials and limitations of the setting. Subsequently, different scenarios and concepts were developed and implemented in form of two evaluation prototypes. Those were then evaluated in a user study with several groups of children. All children enjoyed the games and study results indicate that the games can indeed encourage communication among users in a pleasant atmosphere.