6 research outputs found
Auto-Pa\'izo Games: Towards Understanding the Design of Games that Aim to Unify a Player's Physical Body and the Virtual World
Most digital bodily games focus on the body as they use movement as input.
However, they also draw the player's focus away from the body as the output
occurs on visual displays, creating a divide between the physical body and the
virtual world. We propose a novel approach - the ''Body as a Play Material'' -
where a player uses their body as both input and output to unify the physical
body and the virtual world. To showcase this approach, we designed three games
where a player uses one of their hands (input) to play against the other hand
(output) by loaning control over its movements to an Electrical Muscle
Stimulation (EMS) system. We conducted a thematic analysis on the data obtained
from a field study with 12 participants to articulate four player experience
themes. We discuss our results about how participants appreciated the
engagement with the variety of bodily movements for play and the ambiguity of
using their body as a play material. Ultimately, our work aims to unify the
physical body and the virtual world.Comment: This paper will be published at Annual Symposium on Computer-Human
Interaction in Play (CHI PLAY) 202
The Influence of Skin Parameters and Body Composition on the Tolerance of Pain Stimulus Generated During Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS) in Women - Pilot Study
Agata Lebiedowska, Magdalena Hartman-Petrycka, Anna Stolecka-Warzecha, Wiktoria Odrzywołek, Małgorzata Bożek, Sławomir Wilczyński Department of Basic Biomedical Science, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences in Sosnowiec, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Sosnowiec, PolandCorrespondence: Agata Lebiedowska, Department of Basic Biomedical Science, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences in Sosnowiec, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Kasztanowa Street 3, Sosnowiec, 41-200, Poland, Tel +48 269 98 30, Email [email protected]: This pilot study aims to explore how skin parameters and body composition impact the tolerance to EMS (Electrical Muscle Stimulation) stimuli in women, particularly focusing on pain tolerance in response to varying intensities of EMS. This research seeks to understand what is essential for optimizing EMS applications.Patients and Methods: The study involved 16 females (age 35.9 ± 12.3). Body composition and anthropometric measurements were taken, including BMI (Body Mass Index), weight percentage, WHtR (Waist to Height Ratio), WHR (Waist-Hip Ratio), and Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis. High-frequency ultrasound scans were conducted to assess skin parameters. The EMS stimulation was performed using an Evolvex (InMode, Israel), with applicators placed around the abdomen and intensity adjusted according to patient tolerance, recorded at the pain threshold.Results: The maximum tolerated EMS stimulus varied from 12V to 55V, with a median of 33V. Body weight showed a strong positive correlation (R=0.76, p< 0.001) and hip circumference (R=0.66, p< 0.001) with EMS intensity. Body fat mass (R=0.61, p=0.012) and visceral fat area (R=0.55, p=0.029) were positively correlated with EMS intensity. However, no significant correlations were observed between EMS tolerance and muscle tissue parameters or total body water content. The study also found that skin structure parameters showed no significant impact on EMS tolerance.Conclusion: The study reveals that women’s tolerance to EMS stimuli is influenced by various factors. Anthropometric parameters like hip circumference, body weight, skinfold, and BMI are strongly correlated with EMS tolerance. Body composition factors, particularly adipose tissue characteristics such as body fat mass and percentage, also significantly impact EMS intensity requirements, with no notable correlation to muscle tissue or water content. However, variations in skin structure, including thickness and density, do not significantly affect EMS tolerance. These insights are crucial for tailoring personalized EMS therapy to enhance effectiveness and comfort in both aesthetic and rehabilitative applications.Keywords: EMS, body composition, BIA, high-frequency ultrasoun
Fused Spectatorship: Designing Bodily Experiences Where Spectators Become Players
Spectating digital games can be exciting. However, due to its vicarious
nature, spectators often wish to engage in the gameplay beyond just watching
and cheering. To blur the boundaries between spectators and players, we propose
a novel approach called ''Fused Spectatorship'', where spectators watch their
hands play games by loaning bodily control to a computational Electrical Muscle
Stimulation (EMS) system. To showcase this concept, we designed three games
where spectators loan control over both their hands to the EMS system and watch
them play these competitive and collaborative games. A study with 12
participants suggested that participants could not distinguish if they were
watching their hands play, or if they were playing the games themselves. We
used our results to articulate four spectator experience themes and four fused
spectator types, the behaviours they elicited and offer one design
consideration to support each of these behaviours. We also discuss the ethical
design considerations of our approach to help game designers create future
fused spectatorship experiences.Comment: This paper is going to be published at Annual Symposium on
Computer-Human Interaction in Play (CHI PLAY) 202