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We present Mood Fern: digital flora which responds to touch. Depending on the length and intensity of the touch a subset of leaves physically react. The leaves respond on a spectrum of slight oscillation, imitating the effects of swaying in a slight breeze, to complete deformation, as if they were physically trying to respond in a similar manner. Mood Fern's reference to nature highlights its appeal to calm computing. Painted capacitive sensors mimic the appearance of leaf veins and Flexinol SMA wire is used to actuate The Mood Fern's paper structures.

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Digital games struggle to blend compelling narrative with interactivity. For example, computer role-playing games (CRPGs) allow players the freedom to explore an open world, yet limit their interaction with the world's inhabitants to selecting from pre-determined dialogue choices. In this paper, we explore how players behave when truly freeform dialogue with non-player characters (NPCs) is supported. In the novel Persiflage game, players converse with NPCs using speech. NPCs are in turn voiced by a human, allowing truly free-form conversation. Through a study of five groups playing the game, we show how players converse, interact, and play using natural language.

No abstract