PaperTracker: Gamiefied Music & Tech Teaching Tool

An interactive installation and educational platform that engages audiences of all ages with music, technology, and game design. The focus is on providing entertaining, inexpensive challenges that promote creative problem solving, collaborative work, and programming using visual apparatus. Using low tech, paper-based media and coded image recognition, users are interacting with the platform. It uses layered sound output as feedback to test participants’ solutions to challenges that bridge the arts and sciences through the basics of music, logic, and gaming dynamics. Originally PaperTracker was built as an education platform and to build capacity both for educators and 10-14 year-old children from disadvantaged areas of New Zealand. It was presented at Tokyo Festival of Modular 2019; Maker Fair Wellington, New Zealand 2019; SUAC University of Art and Culture Hamamatsu, Japan; University of York, UK; and Elektron Studios Berlin.

How it works

In Paper Tracker users are utilising agents that are simple programmable functions. Similarly to Reactable they are placed as 3D objects on the top of the table. In Paper Tracker users can program new agents with existing ones. To program an agent user can draw a shape on the sheet of paper and use mobile devices utilising shape recognition, or program behaviour of the new agent using existing ones. Agents are used for interaction and for creation of the content. ‘Code’ is compiled by taking a photo of the board. 

Aim

Engagement of participants with music, technology and game design. Provide inexpensive solution and work in any community and geographic area. It is promoting problem solving, collaborative work and programming using elements of gamification. Platform is forming a career pathway for participants and users from high school, through university to professional career. This way platform is flexible and allows growth of the users allowing linking of music, technology and game design.

Team

  • Tristan Bunn – lead programmer, UX design
  • Jon He – programmer
  • Andre Mūrnieks  – interface and board design
  • Radek Rudnicki – coordination and sound design

PaperTracker

Workshop at SUAC University of Art and Culture, Hamamatsu, Japan

Installation at Tokyo Festival of Modular 2019