The platform consists of twelve cubes that are digitally captured using cameras and can be populated with interactive content using a computer and projector. The aim of the “Walter’s Words” game, developed by students, is to form words with letters displayed on illuminated cubes. The projected content can be changed in a seemingly magical manner by rotating or moving the cubes. This keeps players on the move, allowing them to learn through play and physically engage with the virtual world using the cubes.

“We are eager to observe how the project will be received at the book fair and to see if the players grasp the operating principle of the cubes as well as how the game is played. For us, this is more or less a usability test,” says Jakob Hüfner, Professor of Cross-media Moving Image at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar. The platform, which creates a physical space for experimenting with XR technologies, was developed at his professorship. XR stands for “extended reality”, that is, the enhancement of the real world through technology. Additional video game and educational applications are to be developed for the platform in the coming years, which can then be used in settings such as museums or schools. 

Those interested in experiencing the cubes firsthand and exploring new gaming experiences on the platform can do so at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar stand H503 in Hall 2 of the Leipzig Book Fair from 21 to 24 March 2024.