Introducing PALLA, a novel input device for leisure activities: a case study on a tangible video game for seniors

In this paper we introduce PALLA, a spherical wireless input device with simple feedback capabilities to be used in video games and leisure activities. PALLA allows users to exploit their perceptual-motor skills and primarily targets people who may not be used to technologies, such as seniors. We first provide a description of the human interaction possibilities that PALLA enables, enriched by a brief presentation of the device hardware design and of the algorithmic solutions we adopted. Then, we present the results of a user study we conducted with senior players in the context of PandaGolf, a tangible video game we developed and used as a test bed, with the aim of assessing the acceptability of PALLA.