Using affective trajectories to describe states of flow in interactive art

Interactive Art installations often integrate sophisticated interaction techniques with visual presentations contributing to a rich user experience. They also provide a privileged environment in which to study user experience by using the same sensing data that support interaction. In this paper, using the affective interface of an Augmented Reality Art installation, we introduce a framework relating real-time emotional data to phenomenological models of user experience, in particular the concept of Flow. We propose to analyse trajectories of affect in a continuous emotional space (Pleasure-Arousal- Dominance), to characterize user experience. Early experiments with several subjects interacting in pairs with the installation support this mapping on the basis of Flow questionnaires. This approach has potential implications for the analysis of user experience across Art and Entertainment applications. © ACM 2009.