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Sensors for Entertainment

A special issue of Sensors (ISSN 1424-8220). This special issue belongs to the section "Physical Sensors".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2016) | Viewed by 91401

Special Issue Editors

Dipartimento di Automatica e Informatica Politecnico di Torino Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24 I-10129 Torino, Italy
Interests: computer graphics; computer vision; image processing; human-computer and human-robot interaction; computer architectures; intelligent systems
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Department of Computer Science, University of Calgary 2500 University Dr. N.W., Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The construction of today’s entertainment systems relies on the availability of an ever growing number of sensors. Touch and multi-touch displays are the most common way of interacting with smartphones and tablets, which represent today the ultimate solution for mobile entertainment. RGB-D cameras allow users to control their TVs and gaming consoles using facial expressions, as well as hand and body gestures. Image and inertial data are used to design ever more complex virtual and augmented reality systems. In-car infotainment equipment integrates speech recognition technology to enable hand-free operations. In the near future, we may expect many other kinds of sensing technologies, e.g., for eye and gaze tracking, biosignals interpretation, haptic feedback, etc., to be exploited in a progressively wider set of entertainment applications.

The objective of this Special Issue is to collect high state-of-the-art research contributions, tutorials, and position papers that address the broad challenges that have been faced in the development of sensor-based solutions in the field of entertainment. Original papers describing completed and unpublished work that are not currently under review by any other journal, magazine or conference, are solicited.

Moreover, authors of papers submitted to the 7th International Conference on Intelligent Technologies for Interactive Entertainment, INTETAIN2015 (http://www.intetain.org/2015/show/home) will have the opportunity to submit extended versions of their works in this Special Issue, provided they fulfill the specific journal requirements found at https://0-www-mdpi-com.brum.beds.ac.uk/journal/sensors/instructions.

Prof. Dr. Fabrizio Lamberti
Prof. Dr. Andrea Sanna
Prof. Dr. Jon Rockne
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sensors is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.


Keywords

  • mobile entertainment
  • TV and home gaming equipment
  • in-car infotainment
  • multi-media and arts
  • virtual and augmented reality
  • 3D reconstruction and motion capture
  • multimodal, affective, brain, holographic, adaptive, vocal, tangible, haptic and gestural interfaces for entertainment
  • wireless and body sensor networks
  • applications and case studies

Published Papers (12 papers)

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Editorial

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146 KiB  
Editorial
Sensors for Entertainment
by Fabrizio Lamberti, Andrea Sanna and Jon Rokne
Sensors 2016, 16(7), 1102; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/s16071102 - 15 Jul 2016
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4969
Abstract
Sensors are becoming ubiquitous in all areas of science, technology, and society. In this Special Issue on “Sensors for Entertainment”, developments in progress and the current state of application scenarios for sensors in the field of entertainment is explored. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sensors for Entertainment)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

875 KiB  
Article
Kinect-Based Virtual Game for the Elderly that Detects Incorrect Body Postures in Real Time
by Zelai Saenz-de-Urturi and Begonya Garcia-Zapirain Soto
Sensors 2016, 16(5), 704; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/s16050704 - 16 May 2016
Cited by 43 | Viewed by 7792
Abstract
Poor posture can result in loss of physical function, which is necessary to preserving independence in later life. Its decline is often the determining factor for loss of independence in the elderly. To avoid this, a system to correct poor posture in the [...] Read more.
Poor posture can result in loss of physical function, which is necessary to preserving independence in later life. Its decline is often the determining factor for loss of independence in the elderly. To avoid this, a system to correct poor posture in the elderly, designed for Kinect-based indoor applications, is proposed in this paper. Due to the importance of maintaining a healthy life style in senior citizens, the system has been integrated into a game which focuses on their physical stimulation. The game encourages users to perform physical activities while the posture correction system helps them to adopt proper posture. The system captures limb node data received from the Kinect sensor in order to detect posture variations in real time. The DTW algorithm compares the original posture with the current one to detect any deviation from the original correct position. The system was tested and achieved a successful detection percentage of 95.20%. Experimental tests performed in a nursing home with different users show the effectiveness of the proposed solution. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sensors for Entertainment)
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3214 KiB  
Article
Quaternion-Based Gesture Recognition Using Wireless Wearable Motion Capture Sensors
by Shamir Alavi, Dennis Arsenault and Anthony Whitehead
Sensors 2016, 16(5), 605; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/s16050605 - 28 Apr 2016
Cited by 39 | Viewed by 9221
Abstract
This work presents the development and implementation of a unified multi-sensor human motion capture and gesture recognition system that can distinguish between and classify six different gestures. Data was collected from eleven participants using a subset of five wireless motion sensors (inertial measurement [...] Read more.
This work presents the development and implementation of a unified multi-sensor human motion capture and gesture recognition system that can distinguish between and classify six different gestures. Data was collected from eleven participants using a subset of five wireless motion sensors (inertial measurement units) attached to their arms and upper body from a complete motion capture system. We compare Support Vector Machines and Artificial Neural Networks on the same dataset under two different scenarios and evaluate the results. Our study indicates that near perfect classification accuracies are achievable for small gestures and that the speed of classification is sufficient to allow interactivity. However, such accuracies are more difficult to obtain when a participant does not participate in training, indicating that more work needs to be done in this area to create a system that can be used by the general population. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sensors for Entertainment)
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Article
HybridPLAY: A New Technology to Foster Outdoors Physical Activity, Verbal Communication and Teamwork
by Diego José Díaz, Clara Boj and Cristina Portalés
Sensors 2016, 16(4), 586; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/s16040586 - 23 Apr 2016
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 7829
Abstract
This paper presents HybridPLAY, a novel technology composed of a sensor and mobile-based video games that transforms urban playgrounds into game scenarios. With this technology we aim to stimulate physical activity and playful learning by creating an entertaining environment in which users can [...] Read more.
This paper presents HybridPLAY, a novel technology composed of a sensor and mobile-based video games that transforms urban playgrounds into game scenarios. With this technology we aim to stimulate physical activity and playful learning by creating an entertaining environment in which users can actively participate and collaborate. HybridPLAY is different from other existing technologies that enhance playgrounds, as it is not integrated in them but can be attached to the different elements of the playgrounds, making its use more ubiquitous (i.e., not restricted to the playgrounds). HybridPLAY was born in 2007 as an artistic concept, and evolved after different phases of research and testing by almost 2000 users around the world (in workshops, artistic events, conferences, etc.). Here, we present the temporal evolution of HybridPLAY with the different versions of the sensors and the video games, and a detailed technical description of the sensors and the way interactions are produced. We also present the outcomes after the evaluation by users at different events and workshops. We believe that HybridPLAY has great potential to contribute to increased physical activity in kids, and also to improve the learning process and monitoring at school centres by letting users create the content of the apps, leading to new narratives and fostering creativity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sensors for Entertainment)
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1478 KiB  
Article
Potential of IMU Sensors in Performance Analysis of Professional Alpine Skiers
by Gwangjae Yu, Young Jae Jang, Jinhyeok Kim, Jin Hae Kim, Hye Young Kim, Kitae Kim and Siddhartha Bikram Panday
Sensors 2016, 16(4), 463; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/s16040463 - 01 Apr 2016
Cited by 52 | Viewed by 11704
Abstract
In this paper, we present an analysis to identify a sensor location for an inertial measurement unit (IMU) on the body of a skier and propose the best location to capture turn motions for training. We also validate the manner in which the [...] Read more.
In this paper, we present an analysis to identify a sensor location for an inertial measurement unit (IMU) on the body of a skier and propose the best location to capture turn motions for training. We also validate the manner in which the data from the IMU sensor on the proposed location can characterize ski turns and performance with a series of statistical analyses, including a comparison with data collected from foot pressure sensors. The goal of the study is to logically identify the ideal location on the skier’s body to attach the IMU sensor and the best use of the data collected for the skier. The statistical analyses and the hierarchical clustering method indicate that the pelvis is the best location for attachment of an IMU, and numerical validation shows that the data collected from this location can effectively estimate the performance and characteristics of the skier. Moreover, placement of the sensor at this location does not distract the skier’s motion, and the sensor can be easily attached and detached. The findings of this study can be used for the development of a wearable device for the routine training of professional skiers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sensors for Entertainment)
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2925 KiB  
Article
A Virtual Environment to Improve the Detection of Oral-Facial Malfunction in Children with Cerebral Palsy
by María-Luisa Martín-Ruiz, Nuria Máximo-Bocanegra and Laura Luna-Oliva
Sensors 2016, 16(4), 444; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/s16040444 - 26 Mar 2016
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 7639
Abstract
The importance of an early rehabilitation process in children with cerebral palsy (CP) is widely recognized. On the one hand, new and useful treatment tools such as rehabilitation systems based on interactive technologies have appeared for rehabilitation of gross motor movements. On the [...] Read more.
The importance of an early rehabilitation process in children with cerebral palsy (CP) is widely recognized. On the one hand, new and useful treatment tools such as rehabilitation systems based on interactive technologies have appeared for rehabilitation of gross motor movements. On the other hand, from the therapeutic point of view, performing rehabilitation exercises with the facial muscles can improve the swallowing process, the facial expression through the management of muscles in the face, and even the speech of children with cerebral palsy. However, it is difficult to find interactive games to improve the detection and evaluation of oral-facial musculature dysfunctions in children with CP. This paper describes a framework based on strategies developed for interactive serious games that is created both for typically developed children and children with disabilities. Four interactive games are the core of a Virtual Environment called SONRIE. This paper demonstrates the benefits of SONRIE to monitor children’s oral-facial difficulties. The next steps will focus on the validation of SONRIE to carry out the rehabilitation process of oral-facial musculature in children with cerebral palsy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sensors for Entertainment)
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7622 KiB  
Article
Haptic, Virtual Interaction and Motor Imagery: Entertainment Tools and Psychophysiological Testing
by Sara Invitto, Chiara Faggiano, Silvia Sammarco, Valerio De Luca and Lucio T. De Paolis
Sensors 2016, 16(3), 394; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/s16030394 - 18 Mar 2016
Cited by 26 | Viewed by 7386
Abstract
In this work, the perception of affordances was analysed in terms of cognitive neuroscience during an interactive experience in a virtual reality environment. In particular, we chose a virtual reality scenario based on the Leap Motion controller: this sensor device captures the movements [...] Read more.
In this work, the perception of affordances was analysed in terms of cognitive neuroscience during an interactive experience in a virtual reality environment. In particular, we chose a virtual reality scenario based on the Leap Motion controller: this sensor device captures the movements of the user’s hand and fingers, which are reproduced on a computer screen by the proper software applications. For our experiment, we employed a sample of 10 subjects matched by age and sex and chosen among university students. The subjects took part in motor imagery training and immersive affordance condition (a virtual training with Leap Motion and a haptic training with real objects). After each training sessions the subject performed a recognition task, in order to investigate event-related potential (ERP) components. The results revealed significant differences in the attentional components during the Leap Motion training. During Leap Motion session, latencies increased in the occipital lobes, which are entrusted to visual sensory; in contrast, latencies decreased in the frontal lobe, where the brain is mainly activated for attention and action planning. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sensors for Entertainment)
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3901 KiB  
Article
A Robust Camera-Based Interface for Mobile Entertainment
by Maria Francesca Roig-Maimó, Cristina Manresa-Yee and Javier Varona
Sensors 2016, 16(2), 254; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/s16020254 - 19 Feb 2016
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 5147
Abstract
Camera-based interfaces in mobile devices are starting to be used in games and apps, but few works have evaluated them in terms of usability or user perception. Due to the changing nature of mobile contexts, this evaluation requires extensive studies to consider the [...] Read more.
Camera-based interfaces in mobile devices are starting to be used in games and apps, but few works have evaluated them in terms of usability or user perception. Due to the changing nature of mobile contexts, this evaluation requires extensive studies to consider the full spectrum of potential users and contexts. However, previous works usually evaluate these interfaces in controlled environments such as laboratory conditions, therefore, the findings cannot be generalized to real users and real contexts. In this work, we present a robust camera-based interface for mobile entertainment. The interface detects and tracks the user’s head by processing the frames provided by the mobile device’s front camera, and its position is then used to interact with the mobile apps. First, we evaluate the interface as a pointing device to study its accuracy, and different factors to configure such as the gain or the device’s orientation, as well as the optimal target size for the interface. Second, we present an in the wild study to evaluate the usage and the user’s perception when playing a game controlled by head motion. Finally, the game is published in an application store to make it available to a large number of potential users and contexts and we register usage data. Results show the feasibility of using this robust camera-based interface for mobile entertainment in different contexts and by different people. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sensors for Entertainment)
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5748 KiB  
Article
Exploring Architectural Details Through a Wearable Egocentric Vision Device
by Stefano Alletto, Davide Abati, Giuseppe Serra and Rita Cucchiara
Sensors 2016, 16(2), 237; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/s16020237 - 17 Feb 2016
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 5507
Abstract
Augmented user experiences in the cultural heritage domain are in increasing demand by the new digital native tourists of 21st century. In this paper, we propose a novel solution that aims at assisting the visitor during an outdoor tour of a cultural site [...] Read more.
Augmented user experiences in the cultural heritage domain are in increasing demand by the new digital native tourists of 21st century. In this paper, we propose a novel solution that aims at assisting the visitor during an outdoor tour of a cultural site using the unique first person perspective of wearable cameras. In particular, the approach exploits computer vision techniques to retrieve the details by proposing a robust descriptor based on the covariance of local features. Using a lightweight wearable board, the solution can localize the user with respect to the 3D point cloud of the historical landmark and provide him with information about the details at which he is currently looking. Experimental results validate the method both in terms of accuracy and computational effort. Furthermore, user evaluation based on real-world experiments shows that the proposal is deemed effective in enriching a cultural experience. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sensors for Entertainment)
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1282 KiB  
Article
Grüt: A Gardening Sensor Kit for Children
by Fabrizio Valpreda and Ilaria Zonda
Sensors 2016, 16(2), 231; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/s16020231 - 16 Feb 2016
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 7196
Abstract
Food waste is one of the main problems in our society. This is mainly caused by people’s behaviors and attitudes, which influence the whole food chain, from production to final consumption. In fact, food is generally perceived as a commodity by adults, who [...] Read more.
Food waste is one of the main problems in our society. This is mainly caused by people’s behaviors and attitudes, which influence the whole food chain, from production to final consumption. In fact, food is generally perceived as a commodity by adults, who transmit this behavior to children, who in turn do not develop any consciousness about food’s source. One way to reduce the problem seems to be by changing consumers’ attitudes, which develop during the early years of childhood. Research has shown that after attending school garden classes, children’s food-related behavior changes. Growing crops is not always easy—it can’t be done in the domestic space, and this lead to a loss of the long term positive effects. This paper presents a project that tries to teach children how to grow their own food indoors and outdoors, mixing real and virtual reality, connecting something natural like a plant to the Internet of Things (or IOT, a network of physical objects virtually connected to each other and to the web). The use of sensors related to an app makes this process more fun and useful for educational purposes. The aim of the project is to change children’s attitude towards food, increasing their knowledge about production and consumption, in order to reduce waste on a long term basis. The research has been developed in collaboration with Cisco NL and MediaLAB Amsterdam. The user testing has been executed with Dutch children in Amsterdam. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sensors for Entertainment)
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5050 KiB  
Article
Sensor-Aware Recognition and Tracking for Wide-Area Augmented Reality on Mobile Phones
by Jing Chen, Ruochen Cao and Yongtian Wang
Sensors 2015, 15(12), 31092-31107; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/s151229847 - 10 Dec 2015
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 6092
Abstract
Wide-area registration in outdoor environments on mobile phones is a challenging task in mobile augmented reality fields. We present a sensor-aware large-scale outdoor augmented reality system for recognition and tracking on mobile phones. GPS and gravity information is used to improve the VLAD [...] Read more.
Wide-area registration in outdoor environments on mobile phones is a challenging task in mobile augmented reality fields. We present a sensor-aware large-scale outdoor augmented reality system for recognition and tracking on mobile phones. GPS and gravity information is used to improve the VLAD performance for recognition. A kind of sensor-aware VLAD algorithm, which is self-adaptive to different scale scenes, is utilized to recognize complex scenes. Considering vision-based registration algorithms are too fragile and tend to drift, data coming from inertial sensors and vision are fused together by an extended Kalman filter (EKF) to achieve considerable improvements in tracking stability and robustness. Experimental results show that our method greatly enhances the recognition rate and eliminates the tracking jitters. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sensors for Entertainment)
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3901 KiB  
Article
Game Design to Measure Reflexes and Attention Based on Biofeedback Multi-Sensor Interaction
by Inigo De Loyola Ortiz-Vigon Uriarte, Begonya Garcia-Zapirain and Yolanda Garcia-Chimeno
Sensors 2015, 15(3), 6520-6548; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/s150306520 - 17 Mar 2015
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 8229
Abstract
This paper presents a multi-sensor system for implementing biofeedback as a human-computer interaction technique in a game involving driving cars in risky situations. The sensors used are: Eye Tracker, Kinect, pulsometer, respirometer, electromiography (EMG) and galvanic skin resistance (GSR). An algorithm has been [...] Read more.
This paper presents a multi-sensor system for implementing biofeedback as a human-computer interaction technique in a game involving driving cars in risky situations. The sensors used are: Eye Tracker, Kinect, pulsometer, respirometer, electromiography (EMG) and galvanic skin resistance (GSR). An algorithm has been designed which gives rise to an interaction logic with the game according to the set of physiological constants obtained from the sensors. The results reflect a 72.333 response to the System Usability Scale (SUS), a significant difference of p = 0.026 in GSR values in terms of the difference between the start and end of the game, and an r = 0.659 and p = 0.008 correlation while playing with the Kinect between the breathing level and the energy and joy factor. All the sensors used had an impact on the end results, whereby none of them should be disregarded in future lines of research, even though it would be interesting to obtain separate breathing values from that of the cardio. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sensors for Entertainment)
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