Powered to play: A mixed reality game for people driving powered chairs

People who drive powered chairs such as scooters and wheelchairs are often excluded from physical play activities because of their mobility differences. Video games that capture body motion such as sports or dancing games also often exclude people with limited mobility. However, combining the advantages of digital environments such as flexible virtualized scenes and controls with the physical advantages of having a powered chair may offer powered mobility device users social entertainment opportunities that are not otherwise available. Powered to Play is developed as a mixed reality capture-the-flag game for people who drive powered mobility devices. It uses a GPS-enabled mobile phone to display and interact with users in combination with the physical environment. Evaluation of the game was carried out with thirteen mobility devices users during two gameplay sessions located in different physical settings. Our findings show that a mixed reality game enabled by mobile phone interfaces in a large outdoor area was usable, feasible, and generally well-received by users.