Designing Motion Matching for Real-World Applications: Lessons from Realistic Deployments

Amongst the variety of (multi-modal) interaction techniques that are being developed and explored, the Motion Matching paradigm provides a novel approach to selection and control. In motion matching, users interact by rhythmically moving their bodies to track the continuous movements of different interface targets. This paper builds upon the current algorithmic and usability focused body of work by exploring the product possibilities and implications of motion matching. Through the development and qualitative study of four novel and different real-world motion matching applications—with 20 participants — we elaborate on the suitability of motion matching in different multi-user scenarios, the less pertinent use in home environments and the necessity for multi-modal interaction. Based on these learnings, we developed three novel motion matching based interactive lamps, which report on clear paths for further dissemination of the embodied interaction technique’s experience. This paper hereby informs the design of future motion matching interfaces and products.