Gravity well: underwater play

More and more technology supports utilitarian interactions in altered gravity conditions, for example underwater and during Zero-G flights. Extending this, we are interested in digital play in these conditions, and in particular see an opportunity to explore underwater bodily games. We present an interactive shallow-water system that supports bodily play through water-movement interactions: Gravity Well. Through designing the system and combining aquabatic principles with exertion game design strategies, we identified a set of design tactics for underwater play based on the relationship between the afforded type, and level, of bodily exertion relative to pressure change and narcosis. With our work, we aim to inspire designers to utilize the unique characteristics of bodily interactions underwater and guide them in developing digital play in altered gravity domains.