Internet‑of‑Things Integration: Sensor‑Driven Gameplay on WowCube
Nikola Peric, Marats Kicikovs, Maxim Filin · IntechOpen eBooks · 2025
The WOWCube® is an interactive 2 × 2 cube screen that combines a physical puzzle with digital interactive gaming. It embeds 24 high-resolution screens across eight magnetically linked modules, each containing its own microcontroller, communication ports, battery, and sensors. The device exemplifies a transreality gaming object: Players manipulate the physical cube (twisting faces, tilting, tapping, or shaking), while the cube’s software updates the virtual game state across all screens. This chapter explores how the WowCube’s sensor suite (a 6-axis IMU with gyroscope and accelerometer) and connectivity (Bluetooth, custom docks) enable integration with Internet-of-Things (IoT) systems and external game engines. We discuss the WowCube’s hardware/software architecture, illustrate sensor-driven gameplay mechanics (e.g., using tilt and shake as inputs), and describe examples of IoT integration via a Raspberry Pi “DIY Dock”. We also consider WowCube modules as AR-friendly building blocks (e.g., assembling modules into interactive maps for augmented reality experiences ). Finally, we outline how independent developers can use the open Software Development Kit (SDK) and Application Programming Interface (SDK/API) to treat the cube as an external controller or item display in engines like Unity or Godot. This chapter aims to demonstrate the WowCube’s unique blend of tangible interaction and connectivity, offering new possibilities for IoT-enhanced gaming and mixed-reality applications.