Feasibility Study of Ubiquitous Interaction Concepts

AbstractThere are all sorts of consumer electronics in a home environment. Using “apps” to interact with each device is neither feasible nor practical in an ubicomp future. Prototyping and evaluating interaction concepts for this future is a challenge. This paper proposes four concepts for device discovery and device interaction implemented in a virtual environment. The interaction concepts were compared in a controlled experiment for evaluation and comparison.Some statistically significant differences and subjective preferences could be observed in the quantitative and qualitative data respectively.Overall, the results indicate that the proposed interaction concepts were found natural and easy to use

Virtual reality for assembly methods prototyping: a review

Assembly planning and evaluation is an important component of the product design process in which details about how parts of a new product will be put together are formalized. A well designed assembly process should take into account various factors such as optimum assembly time and sequence, tooling and fixture requirements, ergonomics, operator safety, and accessibility, among others. Existing computer-based tools to support virtual assembly either concentrate solely on representation of the geometry of parts and fixtures and evaluation of clearances and tolerances or use simulated human mannequins to approximate human interaction in the assembly process. Virtual reality technology has the potential to support integration of natural human motions into the computer aided assembly planning environment (Ritchie et al. in Proc I MECH E Part B J Eng 213(5):461–474, 1999). This would allow evaluations of an assembler’s ability to manipulate and assemble parts and result in reduced time and cost for product design. This paper provides a review of the research in virtual assembly and categorizes the different approaches. Finally, critical requirements and directions for future research are presented

Establishing a Framework for the development of Multimodal Virtual Reality Interfaces with Applicability in Education and Clinical Practice

The development of Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) content with multiple sources of both input and output has led to countless contributions in a great many number of fields, among which medicine and education. Nevertheless, the actual process of integrating the existing VR/AR media and subsequently setting it to purpose is yet a highly scattered and esoteric undertaking. Moreover, seldom do the architectures that derive from such ventures comprise haptic feedback in their implementation, which in turn deprives users from relying on one of the paramount aspects of human interaction, their sense of touch. Determined to circumvent these issues, the present dissertation proposes a centralized albeit modularized framework that thus enables the conception of multimodal VR/AR applications in a novel and straightforward manner. In order to accomplish this, the aforesaid framework makes use of a stereoscopic VR Head Mounted Display (HMD) from Oculus Rift©, a hand tracking controller from Leap Motion©, a custom-made VR mount that allows for the assemblage of the two preceding peripherals and a wearable device of our own design. The latter is a glove that encompasses two core modules in its innings, one that is able to convey haptic feedback to its wearer and another that deals with the non-intrusive acquisition, processing and registering of his/her Electrocardiogram (ECG), Electromyogram (EMG) and Electrodermal Activity (EDA). The software elements of the aforementioned features were all interfaced through Unity3D©, a powerful game engine whose popularity in academic and scientific endeavors is evermore increasing. Upon completion of our system, it was time to substantiate our initial claim with thoroughly developed experiences that would attest to its worth. With this premise in mind, we devised a comprehensive repository of interfaces, amid which three merit special consideration: Brain Connectivity Leap (BCL), Ode to Passive Haptic Learning (PHL) and a Surgical Simulator

Prop-Based Haptic Interaction with Co-location and Immersion: an Automotive Application

Most research on 3D user interfaces aims at providing only a single sensory modality. One challenge is to integrate several sensory modalities into a seamless system while preserving each modality's immersion and performance factors. This paper concerns manipulation tasks and proposes a visuo-haptic system integrating immersive visualization, tactile force and tactile feedback with co-location. An industrial application is presented

Interdisciplinary Insights for Digital Touch Communication

Communication is increasingly moving beyond ‘ways of seeing’ to ‘ways of feeling’. This Open Access book provides social design insights and implications for HCI research and design exploring digitally mediated touch communication. It offers a socially orientated map to help navigate the complex social landscape of digitally mediated touch for communication: from everyday touch-screens, tangibles, wearables, haptics for virtual reality, to the tactile internet of skin. Drawing on literature reviews, new case-study vignettes, and exemplars of digital touch, the book examines the major social debates provoked by digital touch, and investigates social themes central to the communicative potential and societal consequences of digital touch: · Communication environments, capacities and practices · Norms associations and expectations · Presence, absence and connection · Social imaginaries of digital touch · Digital touch ethics and values The book concludes with a discussion of the significance of social understanding and methods in the context of Interdisciplinary collaborations to explore touch, towards the design of digital touch communication, ‘ways of feeling’, that are useable, appropriate, ethical and socially aware

Design of a Multimodal Mixed Reality Work Environment with Wearable Technology

Issues relating to health and well-being at work have risen in prominence, exerting negative effects upon both individuals and organizations. Two main contributing factors are a lack of awareness of one's bodily status and a lack of accessible and effective adjustment mechanisms. Through a comprehensive literature review in the fields of Physiology and Biosensors, Mixed Reality, and Environmental Psychology, this study examines the impacts of environmental attributes and investigates how technology can be leveraged to provide solutions for coping with changes in bodily status caused by internal or external stressors. To address the problem, this study proposes and develops a hybrid wearable and Mixed Reality system prototype that enhances awareness of bodily status and provides mediation. This prototype can adapt to the individual's real-time biometric data through a wearable glove, and provide personalized feedback in a Multimodal Mixed Reality working environment. A small-scale user testing was conducted and has yielded positive feedback. Ultimately, this study highlights that the implementation of a wearable and Mixed Reality system has the potential to contribute to a healthier and more productive workplace for individuals and organizations alike

EVALUATING ENGINEERING LEARNING AND GENDER NEUTRALITY FOR THE PRODUCT DESIGN OF A MODULAR ROBOTIC KIT

The development of a system is informed from design factors in order to success- fully support the intended usability from the perceived affordances [1]. The theory of ‘Human Centered Design’ champions that these factors be derived from the user itself. It is based on exploiting these affordances that the boundary of technology is pushed to sometimes invent new methods or sometimes approach a problem from newer perspectives. This thesis is an example where we inform our design rationales from children in order to develop a gender neutral modular robotic toy kit