This paper describes a frequently-overlooked aspect of embodied interaction design: physical effort. Although exertion is the direct goal of many embodied activities (e.g., exergames), and is used indirectly to discourage certain user interactions (as with affordances), exertion has not been used to support direct expressive interaction with an embodied system. Situating exertion in both psychological and physiological literature, this paper suggests guidelines for employing exertion as more than just an incidental component of proprioception in embodied interaction designs. Specifically, the linkages between exertion, affect, and recall are reviewed and analyzed for their potential to support embodied learning activities, and literature concerning human perceptions of effort is reviewed to help designers understand how to incorporate effort more directly and intentionally in embodied interaction designs. Also presented is an illustration of how these guidelines affected the design of an educational embodied interaction experience for an informal learning setting.
Researchers and practitioners have studied how technology can support visitors' learning in science centers, but few have considered technology specifically designed for science center docents; the staff that explains and interprets exhibits to visitors. We present a qualitative, exploratory study at a zoo where we designed and evaluated technological supports for docents running an immersive, embodied-interaction. Our study focused on the affordances of portable tablets and large fixed displays, as well as on a comparison of two approaches to docent notification (an orchestration approach vs. a just-in-time approach). Making use of docent interviews, video observations, and feedback from zoo educators, we recommend the use of a hybrid approach. Our main contribution is the identification of advantages and disadvantages of display options and notification approaches leading to a list of design considerations for technology that assists docents in delivering information to visitor audiences.
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