Designing a game to explore human artefact ecologies for assistive robotics: Basing design games on an activity theoretical framework

Abstract

This paper concerns the creation of design games made to explore and uncover the daily lives and artefact ecologies of users living with paralysis from the neck down. The paper reviews previous notable literature on making design games and presents a novel approach for basing a design game on an activity theoretical framework named the Human Artefact Model. After discussing the creation of the games, the paper reflects on the results and experiences attained whilst using the design games to gather data in the wild. Last, this paper proposes several points of attention to reflect upon when creating design games based on formal theories.