FlowPut

Proceedings of the 2011 joint ACM workshop on Human gesture and behavior understanding

BackgroundInspection of livestock farms using surveillance cameras is emerging as a means of early detection of transboundary animal disease such as African swine fever (ASF). Object tracking, a developing technology derived from object detection aims to the consistent identification of individual objects in farms.ObjectivesThis study was conducted as a preliminary investigation for practical application to livestock farms. With the use of a high-performance artificial intelligence (AI)-based 3D depth camera, the aim is to establish a pathway for utilizing AI models to perform advanced object tracking.MethodsMultiple crossovers by two humans will be simulated to investigate the potential of object tracking. Inspection of consistent identification will be the evidence of object tracking after crossing over. Two AI models, a fast model and an accurate model, were tested and compared with regard to their object tracking performance in 3D. Finally, the recording of pig pen was also processed with aforementioned AI model to test the possibility of 3D object detection.ResultsBoth AI successfully processed and provided a 3D bounding box, identification number, and distance away from camera for each individual human. The accurate detection model had better evidence than the fast detection model on 3D object tracking and showed the potential application onto pigs as a livestock.ConclusionsPreparing a custom dataset to train AI models in an appropriate farm is required for proper 3D object detection to operate object tracking for pigs at an ideal level. This will allow the farm to smoothly transit traditional methods to ASF-preventing precision livestock farming.

Haptic feedback provides an essential sensory stimulus crucial for interaction and analyzing three-dimensional spatio-temporal phenomena on surface visualizations. Given its ability to provide enhanced spatial perception and scene maneuverability, virtual reality (VR) catalyzes haptic interactions on surface visualizations. Various interaction modes, encompassing both mid-air and on-surface interactions-with or without the application of assisting force stimuli-have been explored using haptic force feedback devices. In this paper, we evaluate the use of on-surface and assisted on-surface haptic modes of interaction compared to a no-haptic interaction mode. A force-based haptic stylus is used for all three modalities; the on-surface mode uses collision based forces, whereas the assisted on-surface mode is accompanied by an additional snapping force. We conducted a within-subjects user study involving fundamental interaction tasks performed on surface visualizations. Keeping a consistent visual design across all three modes, our study incorporates tasks that require the localization of the highest, lowest, and random points on surfaces; and tasks that focus on brushing curves on surfaces with varying complexity and occlusion levels. Our findings show that participants took almost the same time to brush curves using all the interaction modes. They could draw smoother curves using the on-surface interaction modes compared to the no-haptic mode. However, the assisted on-surface mode provided better accuracy than the on-surface mode. The on-surface mode was slower in point localization, but the accuracy depended on the visual cues and occlusions associated with the tasks. Finally, we discuss participant feedback on using haptic force feedback as a tangible input modality and share takeaways to aid the design of haptics-based tangible interactions for surface visualizations.

Developing a three-dimensional (3D) data model for Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is an essential and complex issue. 3D modelling in GIS is becoming ever more important for the development of cyber cities and digital earth, which have recently become feasible. A competent 3D model forms an efficient foundation for 3D visualization, query and spatial analysis. As a development of the existing 3D models, this study proposes particular improvements in handling complex 3D objects. We present an object-oriented data model for handling complex 3D objects in GIS. First, the conceptual data model is developed based on the principle of object-oriented (OO) data modelling. This model is designed based on the following three basic geometric elements: node, segment and triangle. Accordingly, the abstract geometric objects are defined: including points, lines, surfaces and volumes. Second, the corresponding 3D logical model is designed based on the defined abstract objects and the relationships between them. Third, a formal representation of the 3D spatial objects is described in detail. Fourth, a prototype 3D GIS is developed based on the proposed 3D data model. Finally, we describe the results of an experimental study to reconstruct 3D objects using this 3D GIS and a comparison with the performance of other 3D data models. The proposed model is able to handle complex objects, such as complex buildings and TV towers, which is an essential functionality for building large-scale cyber cities, such as for Hong Kong. The proposed data model proves to be very efficient, particularly in visualization and rendering. The experimental results show which the data volume of the proposed model is compacted and the visualization speed for 3D objects is improved, compared with the existing models.

최근, 현실세계와 가상세계를 결합하여 디지털 컨텐츠 형태로 보여주는 증강 현실 기술이 등장하고 있다. 증강현실 기술의 효과를 극대화하기 위해서, 사용자가 현실세계의 사물을 조작하는 것과 유사한 방법으로 디지털 콘텐츠와 상호작용하는 것을 가능하게 해 주는 실감형 인터페이스가 적용된다. 특히, 교육 분야에서는 이러한 기술들이 학습자의 흥미와 몰입도를 높이고, 학습 효과를 극대화할 수 있는 새로운 학습 콘텐츠의 제작을 가능하게 할 것으로 기대되고 있다. 본 논문에서는 멀티 터치스크린과 실감형 인터페이스를 적용한 과학 실험 학습 시스템을 제안한다. 이 시스템은 종래의 실험대 위에서 이루어지는 실험도구의 조작을 대체하기 위하여 대형 멀티 터치스크린을 장착한 실험 테이블과 간단한 사용자의 제스쳐를 인식할 수 있는 실감형 학습 디바이스를 사용한다. 실제 과학 실험에서는 높은 비용이나 긴 시간, 또는 위험 물질들이 요구되기도 하는데, 본 시스템은 이러한 요인들을 극복하면서 학습자들에게 다양한 실험을 현실감 있게 제공할 수 있다. Recently, Augmented Reality(AR) technologies have been emerged, which shows the types of digital contents integrating real and virtual worlds. To maximize the effect of AR technology, tangible user interface, which enables users to interact with the contents in the same way in which they manipulate objects in real world, is applied. In particular, we expect that the technologies are able to enhance learners' interests and degree of immersion, and produce new learning contents in order to maximize the effect of learning. In this paper, we propose a learning system for scientific experiments with multi-touch screen and tangible user interface. The system consists of an experiment table equipped with a large multi-touch screen and a realistic learning device that can detect the user's simple gestures. In real world, some scientific experiments involve high cost, long time or dangerous objects, but this system will overcome such hindrance and provide learners with a variety of experiment experience in realistic ways.

The authors discuss how tangible user interface objects can be important educational and entertainment tools in environmental education. The authors describe their interactive installation artwork Reefs on the Edge, which incorporates tangible user interface objects and combines environmental science and multiple art forms to explore coral reef ecosystems that are threatened by the effects of climate change. The authors/artists argue that the use of tangible user interface in an installation-art setting can help engage and inform the public about crucial environmental issues.

In this study, we prototype and examine a system that allows a user to manipulate a 3D virtual object with multiple fingers without wearing any device. An autostereoscopic display produces a 3D image and a depth sensor measures the movement of the fingers. When a user touches a virtual object, haptic feedback is provided by ultrasound phased arrays. By estimating the cross section of the finger in contact with the virtual object and by creating a force pattern around it, it is possible for the user to recognize the position of the surface relative to the finger. To evaluate our system, we conducted two experiments to show that the proposed feedback method is effective in recognizing the object surface and thereby enables the user to grasp the object quickly without seeing it.

The content elements and the connections between elements form an information space that is conceptually similar to a physical space. Navigation is a common problem in information space and in physical space. Using an appropriate metaphor is a key factor in transforming abstract information space into a tangible space that users can accept. This research proposes an interface design approach to navigate an information space, such as the contents of a website or a museum, with a tangible user interface (TUI). The goal of the TUI is to connect the digital and physical space with a visible and tangible form. Tangible objects are used as metaphors to manipulate the information space. Information finding tasks are given to the participants to test user performance and errors, and subjective satisfaction is evaluated with questionnaires. The effects of metaphors and the TUI/graphics user interface (GUI) are to be investigated. The results show that metaphors help users find information with better performance and lower error rates. Users also perceive more usability from interfaces with metaphors and think they can work better. The proposed TUI system can get similar errors and subjective usability as a GUI system, which users are more familiar with.

POMA: A tangible user interface to improve social and cognitive skills of Sri Lankan children with ASD

In Amazon Robotic Challenge, we need to make unknown object's 3d model for recognizing and estimating 6D pose in limited time. The paper presents a unique autonomous system to build object's complete 3d model fast. This method is different with others for it can build object's model contains object's bottom side. We modify ElasticFusion to focus on building object's 3D model from object's up-side with assistant pose information from Aruco Markers. Then instead of using ICP or other merge algorithms, we merge object's upside point cloud and bottom-side point cloud easily by using Aruco Markers on transparent board. At last, we use octree and source point cloud to color poisson reconstruction mesh model to obtain object's final complete colored 3d model. Experiment results show that our approach can generate common object's complete model with acceptable size error in limited time.

Motivated by the need to support those self-managing chronic pain, we report on the development and evaluation of a novel pressure-based tangible user interface (TUI) for the self-report of scalar values representing pain intensity. Our TUI consists of a conductive foam-based, force-sensitive resistor (FSR) covered in a soft rubber with embedded signal conditioning, an ARM Cortex-M0 microprocessor, and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). In-lab usability and feasibility studies with 28 participants found that individuals were able to use the device to make reliable reports with four degrees of freedom as well map squeeze pressure to pain level and visual feedback. Building on insights from these studies, we further redesigned the FSR into a wearable device with multiple form factors, including a necklace, bracelet, and keychain. A usability study with an additional 7 participants from our target population, elderly individuals with chronic pain, found high receptivity to the wearable design, which offered a number of participant-valued characteristics (e.g., discreetness) along with other design implications that serve to inform the continued refinement of tangible devices that support pain self-assessment.

This study investigates the influence of shoe type (sneakers and safety boots), age, and gender on the perception of haptic pulse feedback provided by a prototype accelerator pedal in a running stationary vehicle. Haptic feedback can be a less distracting alternative to traditionally visual and auditory in-vehicle feedback. However, to be effective, the device delivering the haptic feedback needs to be in contact with the person. Factors such as shoe type vary naturally over the season and could render feedback that is perceived well in one situation, unnoticeable in another. In this study, we evaluate factors that can influence the subjective perception of haptic feedback in a stationary but running car: shoe type, age, and gender. Thirty-six drivers within three age groups (≤39, 40-59, and ≥60) took part. For each haptic feedback, participants rated intensity, urgency, and comfort via a questionnaire. The perception of the haptic feedback is significantly influenced by the interaction between the pulse's duration and force amplitude and the participant's age and gender but not shoe type. The results indicate that it is important to consider different age groups and gender in the evaluation of haptic feedback. Future research might also look into approaches to adapt haptic feedback to the individual driver's preferences. Findings from this study can be applied to the design of an accelerator pedal in a car, for example, for a nonvisual in-vehicle warning, but also to plan user studies with a haptic pedal in general.

Physical browsing is an interaction paradigm that allows associating digital information with physical objects. In physical browsing, the interaction happens via a mobile terminal – such as a mobile phone or a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA). The links are implemented as tags that can be read with the terminal. They can be, for example, Radio Frequency Identifier (RFID) tags that are read with a mobile phone augmented with an RFID reader. The basis of physical browsing is physical selection – the interaction task with which the user tells the mobile terminal which link the user is interested in and wants to activate. After the selection, an action occurs, for example, if the tag contains a web address, the mobile phone may display the associated web page in the browser. Physical selection is thus a mobile terminal and tag based interaction technique, which is intended for interacting with the physical world and its entities. In ubiquitous computing, the physical environment is augmented with devices offering digital information and services. Ubiquitous computing can be divided into two broad categories: distributed, in which widgets with user interfaces are embedded into the environment, and mobile terminal centred, in which the user interacts with the devices with a mediator device. In both cases, an important issue in ubiquitous computing is how to interact with the devices embedded into the environment. Physical selection is a direct selection technique for choosing a target in the mobile terminal centred approach. Computer-augmented environment is a concept very similar to ubiquitous computing. The concept grew from the combination of ubiquitous computing and augmented reality, but common to both approaches is the emphasis on the physical world and the tools that enhance our everyday activities. Another concept close to ubiquitous computing and computer-augmented environments is physically based user interfaces, in which the interaction is based on computationally augmented physical artefacts. Tangible user interfaces are based on tangible or graspable physical objects and are thus closely related to physically based user interfaces.

This thesis covers the development of a network supported multi user augmented reality application for mobile devices. A presenter can load 3D models dynamically, display them on an augmented reality 2D tracker and is capable of manipulating certain single objects. These manipulations are already well-defined in advance through the hierarchy of the 3D object. Executable manipulations are translation, rotation, scaling and the change of materials. Any number of spectators can follow the presentation with their own device from a point of view of individual choice. If the data of the model is not present on their own device it will automatically be transferred from the presenter via network. Thoughts that were made in advance are described, followed by the details of implementation and the occured problems as well as chosen solutions. With the prototype a user study was conducted to define guidelines for the choice of different kinds of lighting for certain applications. The choice is between static, dynamic and combined lighting. Additionally the general usability of the app is evaluated in the study.

The use of autonomous behaviour in Tangible User Interfaces can potentially create a compelling and new kind of interaction between humans and computers. We motivate this argument by reviewing related research, which indicates that people are engaged by apparently autonomous behaviours in tangible objects and apply rules of social behaviour towards these smart objects. Our intention is to leverage this effect in support of human-computer interaction. Rather than aiming to improve user performance, we argue that such interfaces can offer a richer and more enjoyable autonomous interface interaction. Herein we present a framework highlighting key concepts and characteristics which are important while designing and implementing Tangible Autonomous Interfaces.