Rhythm Game Installation
Zooba Battle
Conducted under Brett Peterson's Playful Communication of Serious Research at ITP, Zooba Battle is a competitive and educational 2-player rhythm game installation based on studies and hypotheses by researchers Sadye Paez and Constantina Theofanopoulou, from the Rockefeller University, on the link between vocal learning and rhythmic entrainment (dance) in various species.
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Collaborators I-Jon Hsieh (Unity Developer, Fabricator), Stephanie Chen (Illustrator, Researcher, Motion Graphic Designer), Qiongting Zhang (Illustrator, Researcher, Electronics Engineer)
Role
Project Manager, Concept Designer, Game Designer / Developer
Timeline
15 Weeks
01
Research
Dance vs Vocal Learning
By definition dance, or rhythmic entrainment, involves moving to a beat, while vocal learning is the adaptation of sounds through learning or imitation.
Various species exhibit different levels of vocal learning abilities, but not all possess the capacity to dance. Based on data, case studies, and neurological evidence, a hypothesis suggests that dance may have evolved as a by-product of vocal learning, connecting the ability to dance with vocal learning skills to some extent.
Caption: Screenshot from Zooba Battle end description.
Complex vocal learning is rare in the animal kingdom, limiting the ability to dance. High vocal learners like parrots can anticipate and sync with rhythms, while lower vocal learners, such as sea lions, can only react after a beat. Non-vocal learners, like dogs, can't dance rhythmically. The hypothesis suggests that the neural circuitry for complex vocal learning serves as a precursor for precise, predictive, and flexible auditory beat synchronization. Advanced vocal learning acts as a preadaptation for sporadic beat perception and synchronization, offering intrinsic rewards for predicting complex acoustic sequences' temporal structures.
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In simpler terms, being good at learning complex sounds helps us predict and follow irregular rhythms.
“Many cultures do not distinguish between music and dance, often using the same word for both. Vocal learning and dance overlap in how these behaviors are culturally transmitted from one generation to another, such as in dialects or repertoires of sounds or movements. Thus, it is plausible that vocal learning and dance co-evolved both culturally and genetically.”
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Dr. Sadye Paez
Caption: Screenshot from Zooba Battle end description.
Why is this research important?
Dance as medicine:
Understanding the neurological/mental connection with movement and to ultimately help people with neurological disorders/acquired brain injuries/strokes
Dementia, cognitive-motor functions, fall and balance control, social cognition, stress, anxiety, mood disorders, speech-language disorders
​“Why is it that the non-human apes studied thus far find it so difficult to hear a sound and tap out a rhythm like humans do? What purpose does dance serve? Evolution is a fascinating component of this research.”
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Dr. Constantina Theofanopoulou
02
Concept + Ideation
Project Goals
To understand the relationship between dancing and vocal learning systems and to have fun!
Targeted for audience of all ages at spaces like Science Museums or the CBA Theater
User Flow
Caption: Intro & gameplay storyboard provided by Jinny Kang
Caption: Post gameplay end description storyboard provided by Qiongting Zhang
03
Tools & Application
Schematic & Modeling
Top: fabrication modeling provided by I-Jon Hsieh; Bottom Left: 3D model provided by I-Jon; Right: schematic flow provided by Stephanie Chen.
Tools
RFID Sensor / Readers
Fabrication
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Vertical Saw
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Cornhole saw
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Laser Cutter
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Wiring & Soldering
Skills
Sketch
Adobe Creative Suite
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After Effects
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Illustrator
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Photoshop
Unity
Arduino
Skills
Literary Research
Coding
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C# (Unity)
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JavaScript
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C++ (Arduino)
05
Gameplay Walkthrough
Zooba Battle was presented at the ITP 2022 Spring Showcase as well as presented virtually at the Jarvis Lab at the Rockefeller University. Presentation Link