Increasing the Precision of Distant Pointing for Large High-Resolution Displays

Distant pointing at large displays allows rapid cursor movements, but can be problematic when high levels of precision are needed, due to natural hand tremor and track-ing jitter. We present two ray-casting-based interaction techniques for large high-resolution displays – Absolute and Relative Mapping (ARM) Ray-casting and Zooming for Enhanced Large Display Acuity (ZELDA) – that ad-dress this precision problem. ZELDA enhances precision by providing a zoom window, which increases target sizes resulting in greater precision and visual acuity. ARM Ray-casting increases user control over the cursor position by allowing the user to activate and deactivate relative map-ping as the need for precise manipulation arises. The results of an empirical study show that both approaches improve performance on high-precision tasks when compared to basic ray-casting. In realistic use, however, performance of the techniques is highly dependent on user strategy

Exploring human-object interaction through force vector measurement

Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Architecture and Planning, Program in Media Arts and Sciences, 2019Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references (pages 101-107).I introduce SCALE, a project aiming to further understand Human-Object Interaction through the real-time analysis of force vector signals, which I have defined as "Force-based Interaction" in this thesis. Force conveys fundamental information in Force-based Interaction, including force intensity, its direction, and object weight - information otherwise difficult to be accessed or inferred from other sensing modalities. To explore the design space of force-based interaction, I have developed the SCALE toolkit, which is composed of modularized 3d-axis force sensors and application APIs. In collaboration with big industry companies, this system has been applied to a variety of application domains and settings, including a retail store, a smart home and a farmers market. In this thesis, I have proposed a base system SCALE, and two additional advanced projects titled KI/OSK and DepthTouch, which build upon the SCALE project.by Takatoshi Yoshida.S.M.S.M. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Architecture and Planning, Program in Media Arts and Science

Cubic displays for multi-perspective visualizations

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Architecture and Planning, Program in Media Arts and Sciences, 2012.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references (p. 91-95).This thesis details the design, execution and evaluation of a new type of display technology, known as Display Blocks. Display Blocks are a response to two major limitations of current displays: visualization and interaction. Each device consist of six organic light emitting diode screens, arranged in a cubic form factor. I explore the possibilities that this type of display holds for data visualization, manipulation and exploration. To this end, I also propose a series of accompanying applications that leverage the design of the displays. To begin assessing the potential of this platform and to define future directions in which to expand this research, I report on a series of interviews I conducted regarding the potential of Display Blocks with relevant technologists, interaction designers, data visualizers and educators. The work encompassed in this thesis shows the promise of display technologies which use their form factor as a cue to understanding their content.by Pol Pla i Conesa.S.M

Autostereoskopische Wiedergabesysteme

Wir leben in einer Zeit rasanter Veränderungen in der Medienwelt. Die Fortentwicklung der Informationstechnologie, die Vernetzung durch das Internet und der Wandel von analogen zu digitalen Arbeitsweisen bilden die Basis für weitere Neuerungen in diesem Bereich. Eine dieser neuen Technologien, die meiner Meinung nach das Potential in sich trägt neue Standards für die Darstellung und Wahrnehmung von Bildern zu setzen, möchte ich in dieser Arbeit vorstellen: Autostereoskopische Wiedergabesysteme. Verfahren, die eine dreidimensionale Darstellung und das Betrachten dieser ohne Hilfsmittel wie Polarisations- oder Shutterbrille ermöglichen. Mein Ziel ist es mit dieser Arbeit einen aktuellen Überblick über dieses sich rasch entwickelnde und bislang noch unübersichtliche Themengebiet herauszuarbeiten. Einleitend werden in Kapitel 1 die wesentlichen historischen Entwicklungsschritte geschildert. Das 2. Kapitel erläutert die Voraussetzungen für dreidimensionales Sehen, das 3. Kapitel autostereoskopische Lösungsansätze unterschiedlicher Hersteller und Projektgruppen. In Kapitel 4 wird beispielhaft das weite Spektrum von Einsatzmöglichkeiten autostereoskopischer Systeme in den Bereichen Unterhaltung, Industrie und Medizin aufgezeigt. Das letzte Kapitel behandelt Fragen zur Produktion von 3D Content und der Konvertierung von 2D zu 3D. Um zusätzlich neben der theoretischen Betrachtung auch praktische Erfahrungswerte mit einfließen zu lassen, war es mir wichtig neben der Quellenrecherche Meinungen und Standpunkte von Personen einzuholen, die bereits in ihrer beruflichen Praxis mit diesem Themengebiet in Berührung gekommen sind

Beyond the formal/concrete axis: A study of individual difference in approach to design practice

This thesis examines the nature of individual differences in approach to design practice, concerning a practitioner's relationship with the medium with which they work, and its role in their practice. It does so with a view to developing future digital environments for creative practice. Most existing computer systems for 3D design and modelling have developed around the 'design-by-drawing' paradigm. Recent advances in digital technologies offer more direct manipulation of models in 3D space through touch, bringing the more immediate ways of working with materials associated with other approaches to design within the realm of digital systems. A previous investigation of an alternative paradigm for future computer systems, the working processes of designer-makers, was undertaken to better understand the role of materials within their processes. This revealed differences in individual approach: some practitioners developed their ideas using sketching, while others chose to work with materials (either to design, or making with the medium), or combined both. Reporting on initial enquiries concerning such practitioners' preferences for working in two or three dimensions to generate design ideas, this thesis suggests that there are more fundamental differences between individuals in their relationship with the medium in which they work. However there exists little design literature to assist in this regard. Drawing on literature on creative processes from other disciplines, including writing and computer programming, it proposes that differences exist between individual design practitioners which are more significant than variation arising from each designer's personal style, unique experience, or working context; rather they represent wholly different approaches to design, elements of which relate to the nature and extent of a dialogue between practitioner and medium. A systematic analysis of this literature suggested the formal/concrete axis is an organising principle for differences in approach across disciplines and across a number of levels of practice. An investigation was undertaken to determine whether similar differences in approach could be observed between 3D design practitioners. Using primarily interview methods, but also set tasks and observation, three empirical studies were conducted to examine in detail the creative practices of students and professional practitioners working with three- dimensional media, both material (silversmithing and jewellery, textiles, sculpture) and digital (3D computer graphics and animation, 3D modelling, 3D immersive digital environments). The results demonstrate that important underlying differences exist between individual design practitioners, concerning their relationship with the medium with which they work, and its role in their practice. This thesis concludes that while elements of these differences in approach can indeed be mapped directly to a formal/concrete axis, others cannot, and proposes avenues for further exploration. This examination of differences in approach demonstrates an underlying commonality between disciplines including 3D design practice, writing and computer programming as regards how practitioners work, and their relationships with the medium they work in, on or through. It indicates important aspects of working and knowing that are not embedded in the material context of practice, which should be acknowledged by theory, and could be harnessed practically in the development of future digital environments for creative practice

User Interfaces for Volumetric Displays

ge visualization, hold the promise of enhancing rendered 3D graphics' sense of realism by providing all the depth cues humans require. VOLUMETRIC-DISPLAY TECHNOLOGIES Although several competing volumetric-display technologies exist, all such displays generate true 3D volumetric images by actually illuminating points in 3D space rather than merely simulating the perception of viewing such points. This approach lets us use our natural physiological mechanisms for depth perception to gain a richer understanding of the virtual 3D scene. Further, we can view these displays from almost any direction and multiple individuals can view them simultaneously. All of this is achieved without requiring users to wear hardware such as shutter glasses or head-tracking gear. From the output perspective, all volumetric displays generate true 3D images, but the technology underlying the displays can vary widely. We can classify these technologies into three broad categories: . Holographic display