PokeDotz: A Fun, Immersive and Interactive Mathematical Sandbox with Rich Feature Numbers Representations in Virtual Reality

This work presents a visual and interactive mathematical sandbox prototype created in a Virtual Reality (VR) environment with the main goal of exploring potentialities to visualize rich features numbers representations from the perspective of a mathematical savant and, also, to manipulate them through math operations in an intuitive, fun and immersive way. The starting point for creating this experience was the opportunity to apply 3D user interfaces (3DUI) in a VR model able to bring feelings and perceptions of a math savant to everyone. As explained by Daniel Tammet, in a TED Talks, the world of words and numbers that a mathematical savant sees is full of colors, shapes, emotions and personality. It means, it's an experience more focused on aesthetics and the synesthesia with the numbers than on the abstract reasoning of math formulas. The VR set-up was composed by a head-mounted display (HMD), controllers and trackers, allowing the user to visualize little monster representations of the numbers (the PokeDotz) and, also, to interact with them by selecting and combining the PokeDotz using math operations devices with 3D interactions. In short, when a user manipulates the PokeDotz with mathematical operations (sum, subtract, divide or multiply), it is possible to visualize results for each combination by creating new aesthetics for the monsters (shape, scale, color, texture, behavior and more). As preliminary results, this prototype meets the 3DUI contest requirements, with its greatest value being the visualization and interaction techniques that allow people to experience moments of empathy with the creative and fun thought patterns of a savant mathematician.