DanceMove: Promoting Social Interaction and Healthy Ageing

Through Foot-Interaction

Ceci Diehl

, Telmo Silva

, Jorge Ferraz

, Ana Almeida

, Ana Martins

Óscar Ribeiro

, Gonçalo Santinha

, Nelson Rocha

and Anabela G Silva

DigiMedia, Department of Communication and Art, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal

RISE-Health, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal

RISE-Health, Department of Education and Psychology, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal

GOVCOPP, Department of Social, Political and Territorial Sciences, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal

Department of Medical Sciences, Institute of Electronics and Informatics Engineering of Aveiro,

University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal

RISE-Health, School of Health Sciences, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal

Keywords: Older Adults, User Interface Design, Digital Solution, Foot Interaction, Dance Game.

Abstract: Foot interaction, which involves using foot movements to control digital systems, has been explored as an

alternative input method in several digital solutions, especially in video games. In particular, dance mats and

pressure-sensitive platforms have been used to enable older adults to engage with technology, promoting

movement and overall well-being. Despite the new forms of interaction, these technologies are often designed

for younger audiences, presenting challenges for older players. To address these challenges, the game

DanceMove was developed as part of the SHAPES project (EU Horizon 2020) with a user interface

specifically designed to meet the characteristics and needs of older adults. This study presents the design and

evaluation of DanceMove’s user interface, which integrates customizable choreography, adaptable difficulty

levels, and music selection to enhance accessibility and engagement. The interface was tested with older

adults using the Think-Aloud Protocol and the Self-Assessment Manikin method to assess usability,

engagement, and emotional response. Results indicate that participants found the game enjoyable and

motivating, although some required additional support for balance and confidence. The findings highlight the

potential of foot-based games to promote physical activity, cognitive stimulation and social interaction among

older adults, while also identifying challenges related to usability and resistance to new technologies.

1 INTRODUCTION

In recent years, various digital solutions have adopted

foot interaction as an input method, ranging from

pressure-sensitive flooring (Sangsuriyachot &

Sugimoto, 2012; Schmidt et al., 2015) and augmented

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0728-7492

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https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0492-2307

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7349-457X

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5220-0528

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4740-7951

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4732-5959

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3801-7249

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4386-5851

reality games for mobile devices (Lv, 2013; Lv et al.,

2013, 2014, 2015; Paelke et al., 2004; Yin & Pai,

2003), to accessibility tools for users with hand

disabilities, such as arthritis or repetitive strain injury

(Carrozza et al., 2007; Springer & Siebes, 1996). For

older adults, foot interaction has gained attention as

an alternative input device, as it encourages

Diehl, C., Silva, T., Ferraz, J., Almeida, A., Martins, A., Ribeiro, Ó., Santinha, G., Rocha, N. and Silva, A. G.

DanceMove: Promoting Social Interaction and Healthy Ageing Through Foot-Interaction.

DOI: 10.5220/0013504100003938

Paper published under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

In Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies for Ageing Well and e-Health (ICT4AWE 2025), pages 421-432

ISBN: 978-989-758-743-6; ISSN: 2184-4984

421

movement, engages multiple muscle groups, and

increases energy expenditure, promoting active and

healthy ageing. This approach is particularly

prevalent in exercise video games, which enhance the

recreational aspects of physical activity, making the

experience more enjoyable and improving user

engagement (Warburton et al., 2007).

Among video games, dance games appear as one

of the most popular for older adults, widely used in

healthcare and care settings as a therapeutic

alternative to enhance physical and cognitive

functions (Aimonetti, 2009; Hanneton S. &

Hanneton, 2009; Lange, Requejo, et al., 2010; Laver

et al., 2011). These games require users to interact

using a dance mat: as music plays, arrows appear on

the screen, and players must step on the

corresponding areas of the mat when the arrows reach

a designated point, combining rhythm, movement,

and coordination.

Dance games require users to pay attention to both

moving objects on the screen and the buttons they

must press (step) on the dance mat. These coordinated

movements promote physical activity through dance

with a positive impact on balance, attention,

coordination, and cognitive skills (Green & Bavelier,

2003; Hatzitaki et al., 2009; Maloney et al., 2008;

Riesenhuber, 2004), in addition to providing

entertainment through recreational activities.

However, most existing games are tailored for

younger audiences, often featuring fast rhythms,

complex interfaces, and modern music that may not

suit older adults (Smith et al., 2011).

While these games are popular with young

audiences, older adults are unable to play them

because their specific needs were not considered

during development. Older adults often face

challenges such as motor difficulties, low literacy

levels, and limited familiarity with modern

technology (Patsoule & Koutsabasis, 2014) which

can generate insecurity in their use (Gregor et al.,

2002; da Silva, 2014). These barriers highlight the

need for user interfaces to address different aspects of

human-computer interaction and consider the varied

specificities of these users (Newell et al., 2011).

To address these challenges, the DanceMove

game was developed as part of the "Smart & Healthy

Ageing through People Engaging in Supportive

Systems" (SHAPES, Horizon 2020 Grant

Agreement-857159)

project with a user interface

specifically designed to meet the needs of older

adults.

SHAPES website <https://shapes2020.eu/>.

DanceMove is a dance game developed by the

University of Aveiro (UA), Portugal, a partner of the

SHAPES project, to promote healthy ageing by

improving the physical, social, and cognitive well-

being of older adults. It integrates motor exercises

with an enjoyable dance experience, using a dance

mat as an input device that relies on foot interaction.

The game requires users to perform specific

movements in a sequence that demands attention and

memory. The software allows administrators (in this

case, the UA research team) to customize dance

choreographies and evaluate users' performance.

Players can select the difficulty level and music based

on their preferences and abilities. In the game, the

user must perform a specific movement in a specific

sequence that requires attention and memory.

DanceMove is based on the concept of the

commercial solution StepMania



, which is a free

dance and rhythm game that features 3D graphics,

keyboard support, a dance mat, and an editor to create

your own steps. Unlike StepMania



, the DanceMove

interface has been adapted to meet the needs and

expectations of older adults, fostering social

interaction and combating loneliness while

supporting healthy ageing.

This article presents the development process of

DanceMove, highlighting how its user interface

design, guided by established guidelines in previous

works (Diehl, 2024; Diehl et al., 2022; A. Silva et al.,

2019) addresses the needs of older adults. By

promoting physical, cognitive, and social well-being,

DanceMove is a digital solution that supports active

and healthy aging.

2 METHODS

In previous work, 244 user interface design

guidelines were identified (Diehl, 2024; Diehl et al.,

2022; Silva et al., 2019) to assist the development of

various digital solutions for older adults within the

SHAPES project. The guidelines were identified

through a multi-source review, which included a

comprehensive navigation of guidelines published by

different authors and direct contributions from

experts in the field. The sources consisted of: (i)

knowledge from the UA research group, based on

publications in the area; (ii) a purposeful search in the

SCOPUS



database; and (iii) contributions provided

by interface design experts from the SHAPES project.

The references identified in these three stages were

compiled into an Excel



spreadsheet, resulting in a

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422

total of 1,210 guidelines. During the analysis, very

generic guidelines were excluded, guidelines

addressing similar content were merged, and each

guideline was classified into three non-exclusive

categories: web, mobile devices, and emerging

technologies. The new dataset was analysed by 10

user interface design experts from the SHAPES

project, who added 62 additional guidelines, resulting

in 256 guidelines. Further analysis identified 12

duplicate references, which were removed, resulting

in a final list of 244 guidelines.

The final list of guidelines was used as guidance

for the design of the DanceMove interface, which was

developed by the author CD. To ensure a user-

friendly and accessible interface for older adults,

priority was given to guidelines addressing essential

aspects, such as: generic guidelines for different

technologies and interaction paradigms, specific

guidelines for foot interaction, and guidelines aimed

directly at older adults. These guidelines were used to

address the motor, cognitive, and sensory limitations

common to this population, ensuring a more inclusive

and intuitive experience.

Furthermore, to structure the design and

functionality of the interface, the author CD followed

the set of functional requirements (FR) defined by the

UA research team (authors of this article) as part of

the SHAPES project. The functional requirements

concerned the main screens of the interface and

included specifications regarding navigation between

them and the expected functionalities:

 Game opening (FR-1): The initial opening

screen of the game, which presents the users

with the option to enter the game;

 Login to the game (FR-2): A screen that allows

the users to login to the game using a 4-digit

pin;

 Dance mat tutorial (FR-3): Screen that presents

a visual tutorial on how the dance mat should

be used and what each of the buttons is for;

 Game options (FR-4): Screen with the game's

main menu, which should display: starting the

game, tutorials and settings;

 Start the game (FR-4.1): When selecting to

start playing, the interface should display the

difficulty level screen;

 Choose the difficulty level (FR-4.1.1): A

screen that allows the users to choose the

difficulty level of the song to be danced: easy,

medium, or difficult;

 Choose the song (FR-4.1.2): A screen that

allows the users to choose the song to be

danced;

 Gameplay (FR-4.1.3): A screen that allows the

users to play and displays a music time counter

and motivational messages when one of the

arrows is right or wrong;

 Game score (FR-4.1.4): A screen that displays

the final score of the dance performed, with a

motivational message related to the score

achieved;

 Game series performance (FR-4.1.5): A screen

that displays the average performance score for

a series of songs danced by the same player;

 Game tutorials (FR-4.2): A screen that presents

video tutorials on how to navigate and play

DanceMove;

 Game settings (FR-4.3): A screen that presents

the solution configuration options;

 Leave the game (FR-5): All screens must allow

the users to exit the game using one of the

buttons on the mat.

The interface development also considered user-

centred design principles, ensuring that the design

choices not only met the established functional

requirements but also reflected the real characteristics

and needs of older adults.

The proposed final interface was tested with a

small group of older adults to assess how users

interacted with the digital solution and whether the

design aspects of the user interface met the needs and

characteristics of this age group. The tests were

carried out at UA in July 2023, with four older adults

from the Senior University of Cacia, in Portugal. In

the tests, participants were initially asked to navigate

freely through the game, to get to know all its

functions, and then dance to at least two songs on any

of the difficulty levels. During the testing, the Think-

Aloud Protocols were used to collect qualitative data,

which encourage participants to “think out loud”

while performing a test task. This protocol offers a

unique approach to capturing participants’ thoughts

as they engage with digital solutions. By applying the

protocol, researchers and practitioners can understand

the areas in which users have difficulty navigating

and/or interacting, and the reasons for these

difficulties, as these will be verbally articulated by

participants (Olmsted-Hawala et al., 2010).

At the end of the dance session, to collect more

data from the participants, the older adults were asked

to respond to a written test based on the Self-

Assessment Manikin (SAM) method, developed by

Lang (1980). This rapid assessment method uses

images to quantify subjective emotional states,

making it a fundamental tool for evaluating users’

experiences when interacting with the game. SAM

was designed to reduce the language requirement of

DanceMove: Promoting Social Interaction and Healthy Ageing Through Foot-Interaction

423

the scale, enabling children to provide ratings using

the same instrument as adults and allowing ratings

from different cultures to be compared (Backs et al.,

2005). This instrument is particularly advantageous

because it is easy to understand for individuals with

varying levels of digital literacy or cognitive abilities,

as was the case with the older adults participating in

the tests. SAM uses a drawing of a human figure to

represent the dimensions of valence, arousal, and

dominance, with a 5-point scale ranging from positive

to negative emotions at each end (Bradley & Lang,

1994). In the valence dimension, emotions were rated

on a scale ranging from extremely happy (point 1) to

extremely unhappy (point 5). The second, arousal

dimension, measures how excited users feel when

interacting with the digital solution. This component

ranges from extremely excited (point 1) to extremely

calm (point 5). Finally, in the dominance dimension,

users rated their sense of control over their emotions

on a scale ranging from completely in control (point

1) to not in control at all (point 5).

3 RESULTS

3.1 Initial Interface Proposal

The initial interface proposal was developed in

January 2021 in the image editing programs

Photoshop



and Illustrator



, from Adobe Inc



. The

screens were designed based on functional

requirements, with textual content presented in

Portuguese, as it was a game whose end users were

older adults from Portugal. The author CD revisited

the list of 244 guidelines to ensure the visual and

textual elements were aligned with the identified

principles.

The first design decisions involved selecting a

colour palette (dark green, light green, and gold) and

typography (Montserrat) to maintain consistency

with the SHAPES project's visual identity, as it was

understood that (Guideline 39) “The system should

adopt colour standards, typography, positioning,

page titles, among others, in order to facilitate the

user's navigation in the interface (Nassar, 2012; P. A.

Silva et al., 2015)”. Additionally, pink and blue were

introduced on the gameplay screen (FR-4.1.3) to help

users understand the commands that should be

executed during the dance, since these were the

colours of the arrows on the dance mat, a commercial

solution that already had these two colours (Guideline

59 – “The system’s graphical interface design and the

organization should help prevent errors. Errors and

unclear situations for the user should be avoided by

guiding the user to select from meaningful

alternatives (Al-Razgan et al., 2014; Maguire,

2019)”.

The game’s screen background followed a simple

layout, primarily in grey tones and curved lines with

neutral colours that referred to the project’s logo. The

cleaner layout was intended to avoid distracting the

user’s attention during the game (Guideline 21 – “The

system’ screen layout, navigation and terminology

should be simple, clear and consistent (Al-Razgan et

al., 2014; Díaz-Bossini & Moreno, 2014; Kurniawan

& Zaphiris, 2005)”). The game's opening screen (FR-

1) included the SHAPES project logo, the name of the

digital solution, and a button to enter the game

(Guideline 16 – “The system should eliminate

unnecessary complexity and be based on the target

audience's native language (Abdel-Wahab et al.,

2019; Nielsen, 1994; Petersen et al., 2019; Tsai et al.,

2016; Zheng, 2020)”). The button displayed the text

information “enter” in Portuguese and a person icon;

a common image used to log in solutions (Figure 1).

Figure 1: DanceMove initial interface proposal – game

opening screen.

The login screen (FR-2) featured form fields for

users to enter their username and a 4-digit password.

To help users orient themselves, the page name was

displayed in the upper left corner (Guideline 7 – “The

system should provide extra and bolder navigation

cues, as well as location of the current screen

(Kurniawan & Zaphiris, 2005)”). This information

was included on all pages except the gameplay screen

(FR-4.1.3). The login screen was unique in that it

required the user to use the mouse to select form fields

and the keyboard to enter data, while on other screens,

the dance mat was used for interaction.

The dance mat tutorial screen (FR-3) was one of

the most important screens of the game, as it

introduced all the functionalities of the dance mat, the

primary input device for DanceMove. Given that the

game was foot-based and designed for older adults, it

was essential to ensure users could easily and

correctly operate the mat (Guideline 107 – “The

information provided in the system should be simple,

concise and to the point, facilitating its

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424

understanding, and should not display irrelevant or

unnecessary information, because this can reduce the

user's focus on important information (Adamides et

al., 2015; Díaz-Bossini & Moreno, 2014; Hartson &

Pyla, 2019; Kurniawan & Zaphiris, 2005; Nassar,

2012; Nielsen, 1994; Petersen et al., 2019;

Weinschenk & Barker, 2000; Zheng, 2020)”). This

screen included an image representation of the mat,

explanations of each button's function, the rest area,

and textual instructions on how to proceed to the next

stage of the game (Figure 2).

Figure 2: DanceMove initial interface proposal – dance mat

tutorial screen.

The game options screen (FR-4) featured the main

menu with three buttons: ‘start’, ‘tutorials’, and

‘settings’ (Figure 3). Each button had both textual and

visual elements to guide the user: (i) the start button

had an icon of two people with movements similar to

dance steps, suggesting to the user that by selecting

this button he would advance to a page where he

would start playing (dancing); (ii) the tutorial button

had an icon of a film reel, indicating that the

educational tools were in video format; and (iii) the

settings button used a gear icon, a common symbol

for settings. Additionally, the screen introduced a

help bar, which would be available on all game

screens, offering guidance on key commands and

features of the dance mat (Guideline 130 – “The

system should provide help that is easily located,

specific to the task at hand and worded to guide

through the necessary steps towards a solution

(Wong, 2016)”). The help bar displayed the main

buttons that should be used on the page like ‘select’

and ‘go back’, as well as permanent options like

‘help’ and ‘exit’ (Guideline 34 – “The system should

include functions allowing the user to easily leave an

unwanted state or interaction (support easy undo and

redo (Babich, 2016)”).

Figure 3: DanceMove initial interface proposal – game

options screen.

By pressing the 'start' button, the user was directed

to the difficulty level selection screen (FR-4-1.1).

Similar to the previous screen (Guideline 98 – “The

system should place items and information

consistently to improve the user’s efficiency of use

(NCCD, 2020)”), in this three-button menu the player

could choose between easy, medium and difficult

levels (Figure 4), according to their degree of

familiarity and confidence with the game and

physical ability (Guideline 148 – “In feet interaction,

provide temporal variation in movements by offering

adaptive changes in the game speed (Suhm, 2008)”).

The number of arrows and the speed at which they

would appear on the screen gradually increased

according to the level chosen.

Figure 4: DanceMove initial interface proposal – choose the

difficulty level screen.

After selecting the difficulty level, the user was

directed to the music selection screen (FR-4.1.2). A

carousel displaying three songs was centred on the

screen (Figure 5), with indications that stepping right

or left on the dance mat would reveal more options.

Each song was presented with a related image, its

title, and the singer’s name, with different options

available for each difficulty level. To align with the

preferences of older Portuguese adults, the game

featured popular songs from Portugal, Brazil, and

international artists who were known during their

youth (Guideline 231 – “The system should consider

contents that report to the users' social and cultural

contexts (Engelbrecht, 2016)”).

DanceMove: Promoting Social Interaction and Healthy Ageing Through Foot-Interaction

425

Figure 5: DanceMove initial interface proposal – choose the

song screen.

After selecting the difficulty level and song, the

user would proceed to the gameplay screen itself (FR-

4.1.3). On this screen, as the song progressed,

left/right/up/down arrows would randomly appear

from bottom to top (Figure 6). When the arrows

reached the top, aligned with stationary arrows, the

player had to step on the corresponding arrow on the

dance mat. The aim was to design an interface that

would make it as easy as possible for users to

understand the game, while minimizing distractions

and helping users focus on stepping on the correct

arrows at the right time. When players stepped on the

stationary arrows at the right time, congratulatory

messages (e.g., ‘perfect’, ‘very good’) would appear

at the top of the screen to motivate users (Guideline

200 – “The system should consider emotional design

elements to trigger and retain positive emotional

responses (Hu, 2018)”), while incorrect steps

prompted supportive messages (e.g., ‘try again’) to

encourage continued play. The screen also featured a

counter that counted the elapsed time of the song, so

that players could know how much longer they had to

dance and thus avoid getting tired (Guideline 175 –

“The design should be used efficiently and

comfortably and with a minimum of fatigue in case of

physical activities for older persons (Vanderheiden,

1997)”).

Figure 6: DanceMove initial interface proposal – gameplay

screen.

After finishing a dance match, the user was taken

to the score screen (FR-4.1.4), which displayed the

percentage of correct steps (Figure 7). This informed

older adults of how often they had stepped on the

correct arrows at the right time. Based on their

performance, motivational messages were provided

to the players, such as: (i) less than 50% correct –

"Keep dancing"; (ii) between 50% and 70% correct –

"Good dance moves"; and (iii) more than 70% correct

– "Congratulations! Great dance moves" (Guideline

225 – “The system should adopt gamification

techniques, such as creating milestones or providing

rewards, to signal positive achievements (Khomych,

2019)”). The screen also included two buttons,

allowing users to review their performance and start

a new game (Guideline 110 – “The system should

provide clearly visible and unambiguous means of

navigating to other content (Wong, 2020)”).

Figure 7: DanceMove initial interface proposal – game

score screen.

After viewing their score, users who selected the

‘performance’ option button (FR-4.1.5) were taken to

a screen displaying their overall score for the series of

dances performed during the session (Figure 8).

While no time limit was enforced, a maximum

session duration was recommended (Guideline 185)

“In foot interaction, 60 minutes of continual foot

interaction, with occasional breaks, is feasible for

users to do with only minor discomfort (Saunders &

Vogel, 2015)”. From this screen, users could return to

the previous screen and start a new dance match or

exit the game.

Figure 8: DanceMove initial interface proposal – game

series performance screen.

For the initial proposal, the tutorial (FR-4.2) and

configuration (FR-4.3) screens were not developed

due to uncertainties about how to present the help

content effectively and concerns that configuration

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426

options might confuse users. For the tutorials, the

initial idea was to provide help information in video

format, explaining how to use the dance mat and how

to play the game. However, since DanceMove was

developed within the SHAPES project, using videos

in Portuguese would make it difficult the digital

solution’s replication in other countries, requiring the

production of new videos in different languages or the

translation of existing ones. Regarding the

configuration screen, although it is understood that

customisation options are generally valuable in

digital solutions (Guideline 93 – “The system should

allow users to customize specific functions, based on

their differing needs (Centre for Excellence in

Universal Design, 2020)”; Guideline 223 – “The

system should allow the user to choose themes, font

sizes, colours and the activation of specific options

(Kearney, 2020)”), the objective of DanceMove was

to create a user-friendly interface for older adults. The

interface already featured large buttons, icons, menus,

and text to accommodate users with visual

impairments. Additionally, configuring the game

would require users to learn and navigate multiple

steps, potentially complicating the experience and

delaying access to the core activity: dancing

(Guideline 77 – “The system should reduce the

demand on working memory by supporting

recognition rather than recall and providing fewer

choices to the user. Recognition is important since

errors degrade usability and lead to user frustration

(Interaction Design Foundation, 2019)”).

3.2 Final Interface Proposal

The initial interface design proposal was presented

and discussed with the UA team of experts from the

SHAPES project in several online meetings. During

these discussions, changes were made to enhance the

game’s aesthetics, particularly in the colour palette

and typography. Although the initial proposal was to

follow SHAPES' visual identity to maintain

consistency between the project's digital solutions, it

became clear that warmer colours were needed to

emphasize the game's playful nature and maintain

user engagement (Guideline 197 – “The system

should use visual elements (colour, typography,

layout, images, graphics, personified icons) to trigger

the user's emotions (Hu, 2018)”). Additionally, the

initial colours did not visually match the dance mat,

which could lead to confusion for older adults.

To minimize errors and facilitate the recognition

of the elements in the interface (Guideline 138 – “The

system should have an age-appropriate interface for

the target user, and be adaptable according to the

users' physical and cognitive abilities, and their

disability, if any, as well as their level of knowledge

in technological interfaces (Astell et al., 2018;

Hartson & Pyla, 2019; Petersen et al., 2019)”), the

new colour palette was aligned with the dance mat’s

colours: pink, dark blue, dark grey, and light grey

(Guideline 117 – “The system should use colours in a

conservatively way, limiting the maximum number of

colours in use to four (Díaz-Bossini & Moreno, 2014;

Kurniawan & Zaphiris, 2005; P. A. Silva et al.,

2015)”). The main typography remained a modern

sans-serif font for readability but was changed to the

Mulish typeface. For the game’s name, a new font,

Hunters, was selected for its cursive style, conveying

a sense of movement and fun (Figure 9).

Figure 9: DanceMove final interface proposal – game

opening screen.

Textual information was chosen over video

tutorials to allow for easier and faster updates or

translations if needed. The content was structured as

10 Q&A sections covering topics such as

DanceMove’s purpose, menu navigation, safety

precautions related to the dance mat, and gameplay.

To improve comprehension, answers included

screenshots from the game (Guideline 129 – “The

system should give specific and clear instructions,

make help and documentation available, focused on

the user' task, list concrete steps to take, be brief and

include all accessibility features (Nielsen, 1994;

Petersen et al., 2019). Help and documentation

available should be easy to search. Remember that it

is better to prevent an error than to recover from it

(Henry, 2005; Nielsen, 1994; Petersen et al., 2019;

Silva et al., 2015)”).

Figure 10: DanceMove final interface proposal – game help

screen.

DanceMove: Promoting Social Interaction and Healthy Ageing Through Foot-Interaction

427

Below are additional screenshots of the game

(Martins et al., 2025), illustrating key interface

elements and design choices made to enhance the user

experience. These visuals highlight the evolution of

the game's aesthetic, including updates to the colour

palette, typography, and interactive components.

Figure 11: DanceMove final interface proposal screens.

3.3 Evaluation Tests with Older Adults

The evaluation tests of the final interface proposal

were carried out with four women with an average

age of 71.25 (SD 6.7) years. The individual meetings

took place during the month of July 2023 at UA, with

an average duration of 11 minutes and 30 seconds

(SD 0.001) each. During the tests, each participant

was asked to first navigate the solution and then play

a DanceMove session with at least two different

songs of any difficulty level. Regarding the SAM

instrument, participants’ responses to the valence,

arousal, and dominance dimensions are presented in

Table 1.

Overall, the participants’ responses to the valence

dimension were highly positive, with three

participants (75%) reporting that they felt extremely

happy while playing DanceMove, and one participant

(25%) feeling happy. This positive emotion was

reinforced by comments made by participants during

the test and identified from the Think-Aloud protocol

(e.g.,

OA3

–

“This

cool!

This

cool!

It’s

funny!

Table 1: SAM questionnaire results.

Participant

Valence Arousal Dominance

OA1

OA2

OA3

OA4

This is good for your cognitive skills and for moving

around. […] It’s a good exercise for moving around,

and cognition is maintenance for the brain”).

Regarding the arousal dimension, three

participants (75%) reported feeling excited, while one

(25%) felt extremely excited during the activity.

Although the overall response was positive,

observations by the author CD during the tests

revealed that participants experienced some difficulty

in fully engaging with the game. This was evident in

several situations: (i) the need to use a chair for

support while playing (e.g., OA4 – “I want to use the

chair, can you leave the chair, please? This way I can

balance myself better”); (ii) initial doubts about their

ability to play, as they assumed DanceMove might be

too challenging (e.g., OA1 – “I had to be younger...

[...] It wasn’t very difficult to understand. A little at

first, but then you’ll learn”); and (iii) fear of being

judged for their dance performance (e.g., OA2 – “It’s

easy, but I’m nervous, and I felt a little off balance

because I was a little nervous”).

In relation to the dominance dimension, the

questionnaire responses revealed that three

participants (75%) felt in control of their emotions

while playing, while one participant (25%) reported a

neutral level of emotional control. These results can

again be attributed to the general insecurity older

adults often feel when using digital solutions. None

of the participants reported feeling completely in

control of their emotions, likely due to their

unfamiliarity with the game and lack of prior

experience with foot interaction digital solution. The

lowest score (neutral) came from participant OA2,

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428

who had previously mentioned that her nervousness

while playing DanceMove affected her balance on the

dance mat and her overall performance in the game

(e.g., OA2 – “[about difficulties playing

DanceMove] Only sometimes the front or back...

that's it, it causes a little more confusion, it's the front

and the back. The laterals are done more naturally,

let's say. The other is more difficult because I always

think that it is the front that is the easiest, but we see

the grey [stationary arrow] and we don't look at the

arrow [which is going up]”).

4 DISCUSSION

This study aimed to present the user interface design

process of DanceMove, a dance game that promotes

healthy aging through physical and cognitive activity

and social interaction among older adults. The game

was developed within the framework of the SHAPES

project, with a focus on creating an inclusive and

user-friendly experience, adapted to the needs of

older users. Evaluation tests, conducted with a small

group of older adults, suggested that DanceMove

provided a fun and engaging experience. Participants

reported feeling extremely happy and motivated

while playing, which aligns with the playful nature of

dance games and the potential to encourage users to

play more frequently (Lange, Flynn, et al., 2010;

Warburton et al., 2007).

During the evaluation tests, participants also made

comments related to their interest in continuing to

play, especially in the context of their daily activities

at the University of Cacia. According to the

participants, the University offers computer and

dance classes, which would be positive for using the

game, since it combines both areas. This interest in

continuing to play and using the game in other

contexts suggests that DanceMove has the potential

to serve as a source of interaction and socialization

among colleagues, friends, and family. The game's

design, which integrates choreography, adaptive

difficulty levels and familiar music, not only makes it

accessible, but also encourages users to engage in

physical activity, which is essential for working on

balance, coordination and cognitive skills (Green &

Bavelier, 2003; Hatzitaki et al., 2009; Maloney et al.,

2008; Riesenhuber, 2004). By combining these

elements, DanceMove supports active aging and

might help combat loneliness and isolation, common

problems among older adults.

Some challenges related to the game were also

identified during testing. Resistance to the use of new

technologies is already a common barrier among

older adults (Gregor et al., 2002; Silva, 2014) and was

evident during testing in the initial hesitation when

playing and the need for additional support, such as

using a chair for balance. In future work, these issues

should be addressed by, for example, adding more

comprehensive tutorials, on-screen guidance, and

audio versions of textual information, which would

allow users to listen to the cues while looking at the

dance mat. These additions to the game would

reinforce the explanation and encourage users to try

the mat while listening, helping users feel more

confident. In addition, future versions of the game

could also include multiplayer modes, which would

allow users to dance together with friends and family,

promoting social interaction between users.

Incorporating an intergenerational component, where

older adults, adults, and children can play together,

could also be a way to encourage family involvement

and playful interaction. These changes would be an

opportunity to make the game more enjoyable and

encourage older adults to incorporate the game into

their daily routines, contributing to a more active and

healthier lifestyle. It is also important that further

testing be conducted on a larger scale with a more

diverse group of older adults to validate the

effectiveness of the game and identify other areas for

improvement.

5 CONCLUSIONS

The user interface design process led to the creation

of a dance game targeted at older adults that promotes

healthy aging through physical activity. DanceMove

considers the characteristics and needs of users and

has the potential to have a significant impact on

physical, cognitive, and social well-being. Although

initial results are promising, improvements are

needed, particularly in addressing older adults’

technological insecurities and enhancing the game’s

social features. Future research and development

efforts should focus on expanding the game’s

features, improving its accessibility, and assessing its

effectiveness through large-scale studies.

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