WOWcube Puzzle: A Transreality Object of Mixed Reality

Abstract

We have developed and are presenting here a novel WOWCube device, which combines properties of a puzzle and a computer video game and is a so-called “transreality puzzle”. The main purpose of the device is to integrate the physical representation and the virtual gaming environment in a common gaming process based on the principles underlying the development of tangible interfaces. The device opens up a wide range of new possibilities by inviting players to dive into a useful entertainment. These devices can be used by various categories of users including children, adults, and seniors by generating new gaming experience and using the gamification principles widely. We believe that the proposed device creates a new class of programmable mechatronic puzzles (video games) falling under the mixed-reality category and being an example of the tangible interface for a serious-game player.

Full text

Osipov I.V., Nikulchev E. (2019) WOWcube Puzzle: A Transreality Object of Mixed Reality. In: Arai K., Bhatia
R., Kapoor S. (eds) Proceedings of the Future Technologies Conference (FTC) 2018. FTC 2018. Advances in
Intelligent Systems and Computing, vol 881. Springer, Cham; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-
02683-7_3
https://www.springer.com/us/book/9783030026820
WOWcube puzzle: a transreality object of mixed reality

1 Cubios Inc, Novato, CA 94948, USA
2 MIREA – Russian Technological University, Moscow 119454 Russia
Abstract. We have developed and are presenting here a novel WOWCube
device, which combines properties of a puzzle and a computer video game and
is a so-called “transreality puzzle”. The main purpose of the device is to

integrate the physical representation and the virtual gaming environment in a
common gaming process based on the principles underlying the development of
tangible interfaces. The device opens up a wide range of new possibilities by
inviting players to dive into a useful entertainment. These devices can be used
by various by various categories of users including children, adults, and seniors
by generating new gaming experience and using the gamification principles
widely. We believe that the proposed device creates a new class of
programmable mechatronic puzzles (video games) falling under the mixed-
reality category and being an example of the tangible interface for a serious-
game player.
Keywords: New UI; Games; Education; Mixed reality; TUI; puzzles; video
games.
1. Introduction
             !      
"# # $
      %&  '(#"      
!)        "           #  (
" #"      
*                    "    
 #""+,
-""
."         "      "
#/0#%"1&
2/((#
 
    %3&4
5!55" 6
)""
,+-7%8&5/("
6 7 "#  # . 2 
%9&$.:"#"
#   "#   "
#
#
4(/("##"
# "+" ( #
0 ;/"<<3
2 
" "#
$ 
0      #  =        <9"
 .>:  # /
  " "  0    
0#
"##"
"""#
"    ? "   0 

#      $                
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 # " #     /
       %B&       "        
  "# !#
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  !!  $  #  #    0"  "      5    0
 # #   "
         5 
"# ("+
(  0"      
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  /        +            
%"&" !!!4"
  !!               ,$I-      
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2. Puzzles. Relationship between game mechanics and interfaces
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  !!.!!   JJ
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K  *    :  ="  !!          
;"D#
8(!!"## ##! JJ4"
#.'"'"#L$
/!! #' 
KMGEB3GH'#"
0              5  "  67
#
:+     (/  
!                       $
67%1&
$#+
4
+
""
     /"# +    
                "    #    
      #          
/$I


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!    "              "     $I  
6#7%3&*""
6"""
7%8&
$            #  +        
""        5 $I#
   EC< @"#  "
#:"$I
"#5+"
.,   4"  -          
#04$IF
0#$#
4###."
#  #    %9&  $I             
"#%B&*
    $I  "  #               
+"#%C&
3. WOWCube as transreality puzzle
$!!
'" # $  
#!!
!!
4      /   %9&"     !! #  +   
"#,4G- ,4-"
   #       #  
$#
4'#!!"#
+ "  
,"GH'-"
    !! 
#"
$"  +     #" 
"+"
$       (       
#(
  D*  /"    " #    ;    '"       #
    "                    
"      !!"          ,"    (+
     # #"0
##"#-
$//.'!!D*
EB<,I5.1"988"<"6.!!#7%E&
4    ,6NC7- #  
H!!$
#/
,-
0#'2"'
(#"
!!.'4"#
!!%<&

Fig. 11. WOWCube 3D-model (render).
$ '  !!" 
 #"/
,D*/-4#
''
' # 0 ;"  #  "
#          
"  "  "        $    5"    
    "  "            %"  &    
"'          H   //2
.!!%E&"#'
$"   !!              ;  /"  
#(#8(.!!  " #
0"
"#
#""
' "  8'  ,#  
-/
"  "   ,   #   -"
,1O1O1"3O3O3"-""/"""

.!!            !!  "  +" 6#  !!7  
6 !!7$<!!"
   +   #!! ,  
  !!    FNN#!!N(N(PQR
Q3-
(2.!!='
GH'"##!!"#
        !  ,              -  ,
FNN###0N!!N!!"  FNN####!!N(
N!!PQ3CB-K#"!!"
""/
$N'#"#
      # $   
"/"   "   GH '"
N          '    ,    
  -        # 4"          
"     "                
K#"                

'/"#;
$      #        #        
"#'#/

$ /
        "    !!"        #"    0  
67  #

- -
Fi g. 2 а) Standard configuration of WOWCube using 8 WOWCube elements. All tile
connectors are directed inwards, all outer sides are displays. Such a structure can turn freely
around 3 axes on the mechanical base in the center; b) Same with one WOWCube removed.
The steel ball in the middle serves as the base, which allows the structure turn around three
axes without bias. The ball can be replaced with a Pocket Cube mechanical puzzle.
"#'"#F
A variant of Scrabble 3 #  , 
""  !"- ,;1-$'
 #"0
,#-$#"#
"#$"#
#            +
"#
Fig. 3. WOWCube with the gameplay in process on all external displays forming common
gaming space.

A variant of Pac-Man$    /  ' 
    $      .(2          ,  
-    '"    
#"# ( 
.(2".(2"
#.(2#"#
/
Maze4!   ' $    
"#!"/
$2.!!=,;3-
Fig. 4. WOWCube while turning around one of the axes.
Faces;/ (  #' 
$          2
","#
   #       #        
#(-
Fig 5. WOWCube with the gameplay in process on all external displays forming common
gaming space

Patterns/Fractals """ "    ?
 "6 70 
# " $  
""#
Bubbles  "     #          +  ?
#$67##
0  #"
"","
/"-
Birds/Fish= ? +#  $
'$
+
Pac-Man vs. Digger   /( # #
"""

Cities and Landscapes4+"!!#N
" #       0   
"   0 "  #
!
Mixing colors;"'#=
"#/""
GH'$ 
/  $     #"/"
6#7"/#6767
A version of 15-Puzzle, only it is 23 now, rather than 15
,#-"0
"      $               
,""#-4
            62  '7  "    (
      8(.!!F          #  I(  "  #  
"/"##
$/
%1&
5 ' "
       '       
"              "  +"    
,-"
#"
"#"
4. Design WOWcube
$'        "  #    
 #
4                  ,  ; 9-  $
'    3          !!        
##(#GH'

Fig. 6. Assembled and functional prototype of the 8-element WOWCube.
$ #"
        "              "  
' #$0
#I54G$,I54
GN$-"#(/
/#"

  (              /  
,"                      
0" /#
#
 /      3</3<$;$ # /
C"#

4+""
"+##"##
""0
      0 #  
0;"
  0     "#
 "  #       , 
#$;$"#-
$ ##
    #               ,; B-
I   #"       "  +"$J    I54G$ 
"GJI54G$"',
                  "  #    0
)S8#-":
67"#"#GJ$J
"##
'
$#
 0  "   :    #      
:"'" '" #    I54G$ " 

#/+" #67""
GJ#$J"$J"GJ$
:'"
GJ$J"""#

$  (          ,;B-  ,
<C<B8B3-#
              "        
(" # 
+"#0

Fig. 7. Prototyping process and software testing.
5. Сonclusions
$  #    '            
+
$
"##(#GH'IGH'"#
                "            
        "  '3
  "#
+#

$                  
'
; + " # 

Acknowledgments
$  /       #  "#  #  
0  #        F 4/  :"   ;"  
5"  2  "    T" 4  ."  5  "
5 "  2 5" T"4/ ." 4
4"*2":=

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