Circle

Collaborative games distribute activity across players and encourage them to work together toward a shared goal. They support social interaction, cognitive development, and can improve the quality of interpersonal relationships. These benefits are meaningful for children with and without disabilities, with the potential to extend beyond the individual and into families and communities.

Our research team at The Ohio State University developed Circle, a platform designed to support shared play between people with different abilities through multiplayer, collaborative experiences. Circle consists of three primary components: sensors, wearables, and games.

Sensors

Unlike traditional capacitive-touch systems that rely on direct contact with a sensor, Circle utilizes human-body communication (HBC) to enable interaction through direct skin-to-skin contact. This approach can distinguish between multiple touch pathways (e.g., right hands touching, left hands touching, or multiple points of contact simultaneously).

Because HBC uses the body as a conductive medium, and because different touch interactions can be assigned distinct communication frequencies, the system can reliably identify who is touching whom and where. This data is transmitted to the game via Bluetooth.

With this approach, interactions between players become meaningful physical expressions rather than conventional controller inputs. Since touch can be registered across different parts of the body, the platform scales across a wide range of abilities and supports both active and passive participation.

Wearables

The wearable design bridges sensor technology with the narrative of Escape to Planet-9, supporting collaborative play through both function and storytelling. The design draws from the fictional devices created by the “genius girls” in the story, who use them to perform a remote rescue of their robot companion.

This narrative framing allows players to see themselves reflected in the game world, strengthening engagement and immersion. Each wearable chassis is uniquely designed, ensuring visual variation while maintaining usability.

Ergonomic and anthropometric considerations were central to the design process, ensuring that the wearables are comfortable, safe, and adaptable for different users. Inspired by steampunk and retro-futuristic aesthetics, the forms are intended to evoke curiosity and invite interaction. The wearable becomes both a functional interface and a narrative object within the play experience.

Games

The sensing system detects three discrete input states: Pair A contact, Pair B contact, and simultaneous contact between both pairs. While this creates a limited input set, the gameplay design extends these interactions to support meaningful and engaging experiences.

This design draws from one-switch interaction models and early arcade game logic, prioritizing accessibility and clarity. The reduced input complexity also aligns with players who may benefit from lower cognitive load.

All games are designed as cooperative experiences. Players must coordinate actions and share decision-making in order to progress. While collaborative games often introduce “quarterbacking” behavior, the system incorporates asymmetrical design strategies to reduce this tendency and encourage shared participation.

In Escape to Planet-9, players take on the role of two young astronauts who have hacked into their robot’s navigation system—controlling movement (left, right) and gravity—to guide it safely off a failing spaceship and toward a nearby planet.

Check out our Circle games website (includes other games)

Check out the schematics for exhbiting of Escape to Planet-9

Grants:

• Battelle Engineering, Technology and Human Affairs (BETHA) Grant $33,794.00 
• Global Arts + Humanities Discovery Theme, Open Grant  $35,000.00 

Patent:

•  Kyoung Lee Swearingen, Scott Swearingen, Susan Thrane, Asimina Kiourti, Title: Systems for Collaborative Interaction Using Wearable Technology, Patent, U. S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Reference: 10336-518W01, Feb 3, 2022

Publication:

• “Wearable Sensors Based on Force-Sensitive Resistors for Touch-Based Collaborative Digital Gaming.” Sensors, vol. 22, no. 1, Jan. 2022, p.342. https://doi.org/10.3390/s22010342 

Poster Presentation:

•  Fostering Connections for Children with Autism Via Collaborative Digital Gaming, ATIA (Assistive Technology Industry Association) Orlando Florida, January 31, 2025