Hybrid gaming environments: keeping the human in the loop within the Internet of things

This paper discusses the issues and realization of hybrid gaming environments that allow human users to utilize ubiquitous computing technology in order to provide novel interaction experiences. The paper first discusses recent trends in human–computer interaction and the emerging application domain of hybrid gaming that is realized with tangible user interfaces and smart artifacts. Then, the field of hybrid games is discussed and analyzed in more detail through the thorough discussion of a conceptual model for hybrid games. Finally, the concrete realization of the hybrid game “In search for the Amulet” is presented as an example for the emerging field of hybrid games.