This is a presentation for Major Studio 2 for my Moogbot Prototype. Moogbot is a toy that allows blind users to interact with a virtual landscape that they can only touch and hear, but not see. This presentation includes photos of my work and my overall documentation.

1. MoogBot Audio Game 1.0
Vanessa Roa
Major Studio 2
Spring 2012

2. Problem/Statement
“The main
challenge when How do we stimulate a virtual environment
with textures for children who are blind or
developing have disabilities while also created a game in
auditory which able bodied children can also learn?
What would an inclusive children's toy look
interfaces is to like? And how do we recreate an environment
balance through the use of sound and texture with no
functionality visual input?
and aesthetics.”
- Johnny Friberg
“Audio Games – New
Perspectives on
Game Audio”

3. Problem/Statement
“We live between two
realms...the absence of
seamless couplings
between these parallel
existences leaves the great
divide between the worlds
of bits and atoms.”
- Hiroshi Ishii and Brygg Ullmer
“Tangible Bits: Towards Seamless
Interfaces between People, Bits and
Atoms. ”

4. Precedents
EX NO. 1: Blindside Videogame

5. Precedents
EX NO. 2: My Pal Violet

6. Precedents
EX NO. 3: Bruce Haack - “Listen Compute Rock Home”

7. Concepts/Sketches
Early Sketches: Concept Art

8. Concepts/Sketches
Early Sketches: Concept Art

9. Initial Prototype
PROTOTYPE NO.1: Posterboard

10. Final Prototype
PROTOTYPE NO.2: Foamboard

11. Final Prototype
PROTOTYPE NO.2: Foamboard

12. User Reaction/Feedback
Survey: Audience Response
1. What is your favorite texture? Explain
why you like this texture. Be as detailed
in your description as you'd like.
2. What kind of memories do textures
trigger for you? Do you associate certain
textures with certain places and
moments in life? Explain why.
3. How much does texture effect the way
you interact with everyday objects or the
products you use? Do you go out of your
way to touch and feel certain textures? If
so, explain why..

13. User Reaction/Feedback
Survey: Audience Response

14. User Reaction/Feedback
Survey: Audience Response

15. User Reaction/Feedback
PROTOTYPE NO.1: Feedback
●Toy was ugly & disengaging..
●Would be more interested in
engaging with textural interface.
●Would like to have a choice in
●selection of textures.
●Drawn to visual Graphics
●Drawn to Roleplaying Games

16. User Reaction/Feedback
PROTOTYPE NO.2: Feedback
●He said this was his favorite toy!
●Didn't engage as much with audio.
●Was more interested in exploring the
interface of toy.
●Likes hard textures.
● Loves Crash Bandicoot and Jam Pack

17. Audio
AUDIO: Dr. Zhivago in the Intergalactic Jungle

18. Video
VIDEO: Emilio plays with MoogBot

19. Conclusion Based on User Feedback
● Find Blind Users!
●Redo Soundtrack and Seek out Actors
● Find ways to program different responses to
user selection of trackpad.
●Redesign the tab slide and number the
different tabs so that there's a clearer
distinction of which tab to press.
● Cut out extra dialogue for soundtrack.
●Use Acrylic Sheet or durable and easier
material to laser cut.
●Make the distinction between the robot and
the audio game more clear!
●Play around with Arduino Wave Shield for
third prototype.

20. Future Ideas for Project
Tabs: Replaceable/Interchangable Textures both for the Robot and
Trackpad

21. Thank you for watching!
Comments/Suggestions?
Thank you for watching my presentation
Sources
“Audio Games: New Perspective on Game
Audio” by Johnny Fridberg. Stockholm
International Toy Research Center.
“Tangible Bits: Towards Seamless Interfaces
between People, Bits and Atoms” by Hiroshii
Ishiii, Brygg Ullmer.
“Edge Detection”, by Ellen C. Hildreth.
“Active Filtering for Robot Tactile Learning”
by Hannes P Saal, Jo Anne Tlng and Sethu
Vljayakumar

22. END
Vanessa Roa
Moogbot 1.0 - Audio Textile Game Toy
Web Link -
http://a.parsons.edu/~roav427/blog/?p=62