A Hybrid Virtual-Augmented Serious Game to Improve Driving Safety Awareness

Abstract

The use of 3D virtual content and Augmented Reality (AR) in certain applications allows designing tools and serious games that are more attractive to the potential users. Focusing on the area of learning and education, these technologies can be adapted to the requirements of the application that needs to be developed, to the available devices on which they are expected to run and also to the learning content. However, in most applications only a single interaction paradigm and a single visualization mode is used, restricting the potential benefits of the system. In this paper, we propose a software application designed to improve driving safety awareness and learning for both adults and children, in which we combine different interaction and visualization modes. The application is shaped as a hybrid virtual-augmented “Game of the Goose” in which AR, tactile interaction and 3D virtual content are brought to the user in a combined but meaningful way. The combination of these different interaction paradigms creates an educational tool which is much more intuitive and engaging. In this serious game, multiple players/users can participate simultaneously and players obtain, on the one hand, an intuitive interaction, simple and realistic based on AR and, on the other hand, an increase in the sense of immersion by means of virtual content, for a given set of driving-related situations. This provides a much more tailored learning system, making the users focus in the given driving situations. The paper describes the objectives set in the development of the application, the design and implementation decisions taken and a comprehensive but preliminary assessment performed with 285 users which provides satisfactory and promising results.