¶ 📝Project Summary
Synchronized Effort is a cooperative physical-digital timing game that challenges players to align light and air impulses with precision. Two players control a moving LED zone using floor pressure plates, shifting the light left and right along a vertical LED column. A third player activates an air pump, which is monitored via a pressure sensor. The goal: synchronize both the light zone and the rising air-powered ball so that they meet at the same target zone – in the same moment. Only perfect timing and cooperation lead to success.
¶ 🎬 Video
/gameplay_synchronizedeffort.mp4
¶ 👥Team
| Initials | Role(s) |
|---|---|
| N.B. (xxxx5193) | Programming (Godot) |
| L.K. (xxxx6874) | Programming, Hardware Integration, System Logic |
| V.v.H. (xxxx1482) | Game Design, UX, Documentation |
| D.S. (xxxx6307) | Concept, Communication, Documentation |
For contact or follow-up inquiries, please reach out to the GamesLab team or Prof. Hebecker.
¶ 🎮 Game Principle
- A pressure sensor measures the intensity of the air pump in real time.
- A horizontal LED "hook" zone represents the player-controlled target.
- Two players use pressure plates or buttons to fill the hook zone.
- The system detects when the LED zone is filled and the air impulse coincide at a defined height.
- If air pressure and LED zone overlap in height → success!
- Visual and audio feedback confirms success or failure.
¶ 🎯 Target Audience
- Children (6–12 years) and their families.
- Museum and exhibition visitors.
- People with no prior gaming or technical knowledge.
¶ 👨👩👧👦 Personas might include:
- A curious 10-year-old experimenting with air and light.
- A parent-child duo trying to coordinate as a team.
- Exhibition visitors enjoying interactive moments without instructions.
¶ 🎓 Didactic Value
- Teaches coordinated action, rhythm, reaction timing.
- Makes air pressure and digital feedback loops tangible.
- Encourages communication, trial-and-error, and group strategy.
- Ideal for experiential STEM learning and playful public spaces.
¶ ✨ Core Experience
- Physical interaction meets precise digital feedback.
- Real-time cooperation is essential: No one can win alone.
- Short sessions (2–3 minutes) with reset.
- Designed for both spontaneous fun and skill learning.
- Focus on fun, timing, and flow—not high scores.
¶ 💎 Unique Selling Point (USP)
- Rare combination of airflow physics + cooperative LED control.
- No normal screen, no score display, just real-time coordination & feedback.
- Fresh take on "fishing" / "balancing" game mechanics.
- Modular build, transportable and exhibition-friendly.
¶ ⚙️ Technology
- Microcontroller (Arduino Uno)
- WS2812 LED column (addressable LEDs)
- Pressure plates (e.g. Makey Makey, arcade buttons, FSRs)
- Air pump connected to a pressure sensor
- Software: Godot, Python, Arduino Studio
- Portable: Windows, Linux (Raspberry Pi)
- Logic checks for timing overlap between air pressure and LED position.
¶ 🛠️ Materials (Overview)
| Material | Description | Status / Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Tube clamp | Secures the air tube | Provided by the lab |
| Clear PVC tubing | Airflow channel between pump and sensor | Purchased – unused |
| LED column | Visual feedback with addressable LEDs | Provided by the lab |
| 2 large pressure plates | Input controls for two players | Provided by the lab |
| Analog pressure sensor | Measures air pressure | Provided by the university |
| Air pump (0–150 PSI) | Manual air input | From private source |
| Arduino Uno / Nano | Microcontroller for control and sensor input | Provided by the lab |
| Computer / Raspberry Pi | Control unit for deploying the Godot build | Provided by the lab |
| Transparent acrylic tube | Intended air channel for tracking a real ball | Purchased – unused |
| Ping pong ball | Physical object meant to be lifted via air pressure | Purchased – unused |
The actual build cost was ~€28.
Unused or replaced components (like the acrylic tube and ping pong ball) are not included in this total.
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¶ 📐 Project Origin and Development
One group was experimenting with a physical interaction: blowing a lightweight ball upward through a tube using air from a foot pump. Their goal was to create a tangible, hands-on experience based on airflow and physical timing. Meanwhile, the second group was exploring LED-based interaction, specifically a vertical LED strip that could be controlled to represent abstract states or positions.
When both teams presented their early prototypes and ideas, it quickly became clear that combining their strengths could result in a richer and more engaging experience. Rather than using the air pump to move a real ball, the merged team decided to simulate the rising ball digitally using LEDs, while still using the real pressure from the air pump as input.
From this collaboration, we shifted focus: instead of tracking a real ball, we now simulate its motion with addressable LEDs, while keeping the physical air pump as a core controller. This allowed for more precise control, easier prototyping, and improved portability — all while retaining the satisfying physical action of pumping air. Our concept matured through prototyping, sensor integration tests, and visual mapping in the GamesLab. The result is a hybrid game: playful, cooperative, surprising — and tailored for public installations.
¶ 🧠 Lessons Learned
- Simple mechanics scale well: Air + light can create complex interaction loops.
- Sensor calibration matters: Reading pressure values reliably took testing.
- Physical affordances shape play: The placement and visibility of LEDs strongly affect timing perception.
¶ 🔭 Outlook
- Add difficulty levels (varying LED zone size or timing windows).
- Use multiple vertical tubes for multiplayer races or duels.
- Create wireless versions or integrate with mobile devices.
- Add data logging for use in STEM workshops or education research.
¶ 🖼 Media & Visuals
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¶ 📚 Sources & Image References
| Image / Visual Element | Description | Source / Attribution |
|---|---|---|
| Fishing Bar (top left) | Game UI reference for player interaction | Screenshot from Stardew Valley by ConcernedApe |
| First LED Iteration | Early test of LED layout | Created by the team |
| First Test of the Sensor (x2) | Setup of pump, sensor, and Arduino | Created by the team |
| Hand-drawn sketch of player interaction | Concept drawing for physical setup | Created by the team |
| Hand-drawn system diagram (LED + air) | Combined input/output system overview | Created by the team |
| “Luftfischen” Illustration | AI-generated concept illustration “Luftfischen” | Created using AI |
| G1/4” Pressure Sensor photo | Technical image of purchased sensor | Created by the team |
| Arduino Uno R3 photo | Arduino wiring during development | Created by the team |
| Air Pump with tube (outside) | Pump and tube test setup | Created by the team |