So We Think You Can

Dance
Team Freya
Our Concept
 Our Concept
• Multi-Location, Multi-Player Dance Game
• Players link via video
• Links to physical computing and street computing

3
 Goals for Interim Presentation

• Communication between stations over network

• Playable game prototype
• Dance mat prototype
• Finalise locations and layout
Updates
 Reduce Dance Mats

• Dance mats at each station reduced

from 3 to 2

screen screen

1 3 1 2
2
 Reduce Sensor Pads

• Sensors/ Tiles/ pads on each dance mat

from 9 to 5
 Projection Method
• Standard front projection instead of rear
projection
screen

projector
 Safety of Participants
• Chamfered dance mat edges
• Non slip surfaces
 Dance Mat Updates
• Using plastic joiner/ capper to hold sensor pads
together
• MDF as base
• No integrated LED lighting
 Communication
• Using Peer to Peer instead of Client-Server
network

Client-Server Peer to Peer

Server Server

Initialise

Station 1 Station 2 Station 1 Station 2

 Visual Theme
• LCD, Pixelated, Equaliser
Research
 Physical Activity Research

• Physical activities need to be made more fun

and attractive! (Deforche et al., 2006)

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I/AAAAAAAAAMQ/saIJHOLWy34/s400/KidExcitement.jpe
g
 Physical Activity Research

• “Between one fifth and one half of university

students do not engage in leisure physical
activity, and that knowledge of health benefits is
limited” (Haase et al., 2004)
 Physical Activity Research

• “The majority of students [studied] were

insufficiently physically active [and this lack of
activity] may lead to serious health concerns [and
thus] interventions are needed to improve activity
maintenance in this population” (Irwin, 2007)
 Physical Activity Research

• Physical activity has a well-documented link to

numerous mental health issues. (Saxena et al.,
2005)

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 Physical Activity Research

• Physical activity itself can encourage more

physical activity. (Berg, 2010)
 Physical Activity Research

• “Community-based worksite exercise

competitions appear to be a viable strategy for
promoting employee exercise” (Blake et al.,
1996)
 Dancing Research

• Dance not only increases musical

understanding but positively benefits both
physical and mental health in students. (Li &
Yao, 2005)
 DDR Research

• Playing of DDR can increase physical activity

and reduce sedentary screen time. (Maloney et
al., 2008)
 DDR Research
• Standard four arrows (left, right, up and down and
real time score feedback

Arrows

Score

(Unknown, 2007)
 FFR Research
• Flash based DDR game which takes keyboard
input

(VicViper, 2010)
 Virtual Rapper
• Floor pad game where users must keep in time
with beat, integrates video. (Reidsma, Nijholt,
Poppe, Rienks, & Hondorp, 2006)

(Reidsma, Nijholt, Poppe, Rienks, & Hondorp, 2006)

 Technology Research
• Floor tiles made using hacked keyboard (Ronn23,
2009) but design is slightly different

(Ronn23, 2009)
Where we are up to
Keyboard Hacking
 Keyboard Hacking

• Wired 5 buttons
• Tested early floor pad prototype
• Attached later prototype floor pads to keyboard
The Process
Dance Floor Building
 Frame
• MDF Base
(650mmx650mm)
• Pine sides
(2.6m)
• Joining Plastic
(2.4m – edge)
• Joining Plastic
(2.4m – inner)
The Application
 Networking

• Utilising Adobe Stratus

• “Stratus is a beta, hosted rendezvous service that
aids establishing communications between Flash
Player endpoints” (Stratus: Adobe)
 Flash Program
• Basics of program completed:
– Loading and playing of audio tracks
– Displaying moves on screen to beat of song
– Basic scoring and feedback
– Communication between stations
Demonstration
Future
 Dance Mats
• Build three more frames
• Wiring of dance pad
• Wire the keyboard

46
 Software Development
• Finishing the code
• Creating the interface

47
 Testing
• Debugging
• User Testing
• Polishing

48
 Safety Restrictions
• More user observation
• Safety measures for wet weather
• Noise restrictions

49
 Location Permission
• Getting permission to implement the system in
the two proposed areas
• Finding backup locations

50
 S.M.A.R.T. Goals
• Completion of four working dance mats each with
five active tiles
• Completion of functioning game including live
score updates, video feed and professional user
interface
• The game runs without interference from Team
Freya
• At least ten preloaded songs

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 S.M.A.R.T. Goals
• Completed participative testing with at least ten
users
• Demonstrate feasibility of game being
implemented in locations
• Ensure that scoring is such that first time player
can successfully play the game

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