Purple crayon: from sketches to interactive environment

Abstract controls often required for gameplay hinder the potential for social interaction, especially in domestic settings. Purple Crayon, an interactive electronic entertainment environment for children, attempts to reclaim the sociable qualities of traditional entertainment occurring in the physical world by replacing abstract controls with intuitive interaction. Purple Crayon allows children to sketch virtual entities and interact with them in a physical manner. The sketched entities become animated and playful and afford interaction within their physical locality or between several localities. Various techniques for physical interaction are explored, demonstrating the feasibility and promise of the approach.