Biofeedback Methods in Entertainment Video Games: A Review of Physiological Interaction Techniques

• Published in: Proceedings of the ACM on human-computer interaction 2021-10, Vol.5 (CHI PLAY), p.1-32, Article 268
• Main Authors: Navarro, Diego, Sundstedt, Veronica, Garro, Valeria
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied computing; biofeedback; Classification criterion; Computer games; Computer systems organization; Computers in other domains; Development tools; Document types; Electroencephalography; Electrophysiology; Embedded and cyber-physical systems; entertainment; Eye tracking; Game development; General and reference; HCI theory, concepts and models; Human computer interaction; Human computer interaction (HCI); Human-centered computing; Interaction devices; Interaction methods; Interaction paradigms; Interaction techniques; Personal computers and PC applications; physiological; Physiological interactions; Sensor technologies; Sensors and actuators; Software design; Surveys and overviews; systematic literature review; Video-games; Virtual reality
• ISSN: 2573-0142; 2573-0142
• DOI: 10.1145/3474695

The area of biofeedback interaction has grown over recent years, thanks to the release of more affordable and reliable sensor technology, and the accessibility offered by modern game development tools. This article presents a systematic literature review focusing on how different biofeedback interaction methods have been used for entertainment purposes in video games, between 2008 and 2020. It divides previous contributions in terms of a proposed interaction classification criteria and five different biofeedback methods (with a sixth category combining them): electroencephalography, electrocardiography, eye tracking, electrodermal activity, electromyography, and multi-modal interaction. The review describes the properties, sensor technologies, and the type of data gathered for every included biofeedback method, and presents their respective interaction techniques. It summarizes a set of opportunities and challenges for each included method, based on the results from previous work, and discusses these findings. It also analyzes how these interaction techniques are distributed between different common game genres. The review is beneficial for people interested in biofeedback methods and their potential use for novel interaction techniques in future video games.