GameBot Demo

David Birchfield · Christopher Martinez · Mike Edwards · Katie Salen

Wed., June 10, 5:00–7:00, Great Hall (4th floor, Central)

In GameBot, humans and robots come together for interactive gameplay that explores the social, technological, and sustainability dimensions of robotics. Teams of artists, game designers, and scientists have collaborated to create three new GameBot games. Players interact in physical 3D space to collaborate with one another and their robotic partners for an embodied gameplay experience in the SMALLab mixed-reality learning environment. In April 2009, GameBot was exhibited in the Arizona Science Center, reaching an audience of over 13,000 visitors. In this demo, we present the three new robotic games along with a variety of videos and images that document the play experience:

• Fluid Interaction is inspired by current water conservation issues. Players work with one another and a robot partner to balance resources and demand in a shifting landscape. Fling water particles to supply water consumers, grab wastewater particles, build flow canals, conserve water in reservoirs, and race the clock to reach equilibrium before time runs out!
• Stick Ball is the Native American game that lacrosse is derived from. This GameBot version of Stick Ball is officiated by interactive robots and is designed by indigenous artists to explore the meaning of digital and robotic technology in the context of tribal life.
• In Swarm!, chaos reigns in the dark reaches of the universe! Your spaceship has wandered into a hive of space hornets. Repel the angry insects with your energy wand and use the tractor beam to pull the ship to safety.