An Exploration of Exertion in Mixed Reality Systems via the "Table Tennis for Three" Game

Humans experience their physical and social environment through their bodies and their associated movement actions. However, most mixed reality systems approach the integration of the real with a virtual world from a computational perspective, often neglecting the body’s capabilities by offering only limited interaction possibilities with a few augmented tangible objects. We propose a view on mixed reality systems that focuses on the human body and its movements, because we believe such an approach has the potential to support novel interaction experiences, as explored by a prototypal gaming system that was inspired by exertion actions exhibited in table tennis. “Table Tennis for Three” enables augmented bodily experiences while offering new opportunities for interaction, such as supporting three players simultaneously across geographical distances. This case study offers an exploration of the role of the human body and its associated movement actions in mixed reality systems, aiming to contribute toward an understanding of the use of exertion in such systems. Such an understanding can support leveraging the many benefits of exertion through mixed reality systems and therefore guide future advances in this research field.