Antonio Gomes

MorePhone: a study of actuated shape deformations for flexible thin-film smartphone notifications

We present MorePhone, an actuated flexible smartphone with a thin-film E Ink display. MorePhone uses shape memory alloys to actuate the entire surface of the display as well as individual corners. We conducted a participatory study to determine how users associate urgency and notification type with full screen, 1 corner, 2 corner and 3 corner actuations of the smartphone. Results suggest that with the current prototype, actuated shape notifications are useful for visual feedback. Urgent notifications such as alarms and voice calls were best matched with actuation of the entire display surface, while less urgent notifications, such as software notifications were best matched to individual corner bends. While different corner actuations resulted in significantly different matches between notification types, medium urgency notification types were treated as similar, and best matched to a single corner bend. A follow-up study suggested that users prefer to dedicate each corner to a specific type of notification. Users would like to personalize the assignment of corners to notification type. Animation of shape actuation significantly increased the perceived urgency of any of the presented shapes.

BitDrones: Towards Using 3D Nanocopter Displays as Interactive Self-Levitating Programmable Matter

We present BitDrones, a toolbox for building interactive real reality 3D displays that use nano-quadcopters as self-levitating tangible building blocks. Our prototype is a first step towards interactive self-levitating programmable matter, in which the user interface is represented using Catomic structures. We discuss three types of BitDrones: PixelDrones, equipped with an RGB LED and a small OLED display; ShapeDrones, augmented with an acrylic mesh spun over a 3D printed frame in a larger geometric shape; and DisplayDrones, fitted with a thin-film 720p touchscreen. We present a number of unimanual and bimanual input techniques, including touch, drag, throw and resize of individual drones and compound models, as well as user interface elements such as self-levitating cone trees, 3D canvases and alert boxes. We describe application scenarios and depict future directions towards creating high-resolution self-levitating programmable matter.

PaperFold: Evaluating Shape Changes for Viewport Transformations in Foldable Thin-Film Display Devices

In this paper, we investigate the use of shape changes in a multi-segmented mobile device for triggering viewport transformations in its graphical interface. We study PaperFold, a foldable device with reconfigurable thin-film electrophoretic display tiles. PaperFold enables users to attach, reorient and fold displays in a mobile form factor that is thin and lightweight even when fully collapsed. We discuss how our design was informed by a participatory study that resulted in 14 preferred shape changes. In a subsequent study, we asked users to rank the utility of shape changes for triggering common view operations in map and text editing applications. Results suggest participants were able to attribute specific view operations as automated responses to folding, attaching, reorienting or detaching displays. Collated or full screen views were preferred when users collocated two displays. When adding a third display, alternative views such as toolbars or a list of apps were suggested. Showing 3D views was strongly associated with folding PaperFold segments into a three dimensional structure.

Paperfold: a shape changing mobile device with multiple reconfigurable electrophoretic magnetic display tiles

We present PaperFold, a novel shape changing mobile device with multiple reconfigurable touch sensitive thin-film electrophoretic magnetic display tiles. PaperFold explores the perceived benefits of having multiple computing devices combined into a single mobile device featuring multiple detachable displays. In PaperFold, each display tile can act independently or as part of a single system. Advantages include better support for performing tasks that traditionally require multiple devices, as well as physical manipulation and sharing of views. Touch and Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) sensors embedded in each display tile allow users to dynamically manipulate content.

BitDrones: Towards Levitating Programmable Matter Using Interactive 3D Quadcopter Displays

In this paper, we present BitDrones, a platform for the construction of interactive 3D displays that utilize nano quadcopters as self-levitating tangible building blocks. Our prototype is a first step towards supporting interactive mid-air, tangible experiences with physical interaction techniques through multiple building blocks capable of physically representing interactive 3D data.

WhammyPhone: Exploring Tangible Audio Manipulation Using Bend Input on a Flexible Smartphone

We present WhammyPhone, a novel audio interface that supports physical manipulation of digital audio through bend gestures. WhammyPhone combines a high-resolution flexible display, bend sensors, and a set of intuitive interaction techniques that enable novice users to manipulate sound in a tangible fashion. With WhammyPhone, bend gestures can control both discrete (e.g. triggering a note) and continuous parameters (e.g. pitch bend). We showcase application scenarios that leverage the unique input modalities of WhammyPhone and discuss its potential for digital audio manipulation.

Mood fern: exploring shape transformations in reactive environments

We present Mood Fern: digital flora which responds to touch. Depending on the length and intensity of the touch a subset of leaves physically react. The leaves respond on a spectrum of slight oscillation, imitating the effects of swaying in a slight breeze, to complete deformation, as if they were physically trying to respond in a similar manner. Mood Ferns reference to nature highlights its appeal to calm computing. Painted capacitive sensors mimic the appearance of leaf veins and Flexinol SMA wire is used to actuate The Mood Ferns paper structures.

MorePhone: an actuated shape changing flexible smartphone

Flexible Technology will enable computing devices to become mutable in terms of shape, behavior and movement, allowing them to form a more dynamic relationship with the environment. We present MorePhone, a prototype flexible smartphone that uses shape deformations as its primary means of both haptic and visual notifications. To inform the design of a flexible smartphone that uses shape changes to convey notifications, we conducted a participatory study to determine how users associate urgency and notification type with full screen, 1 corner, 2 corner and 3 corner actuations of the smartphone. Results suggested that urgent notifications (e.g. alarms, voice calls) were best matched with actuation of the entire display surface, while less urgent notifications, (e.g. app notifications) were best matched to individual corner bends.

DisplayCover: A Tablet Keyboard with an Embedded Thin-Film Touchscreen Display

Tablet computers aim to bridge the gap between portability and productivity, reducing the need for users to carry multiple devices. However, despite increases in resolution, their displays are limited in size. This commonly results in sequential rather than parallel options for screen navigation, a significant drawback when multitasking. In this paper, we present DisplayCover, a tablet cover that integrates a physical keyboard as well as a touch and stylus sensitive thin-film e-ink display. We developed example applications to demonstrate the ability to dynamically alter the cover display content based on usage context, as well as concurrent access to multiple applications, stylus annotation, gestures and trackpad interactions.

GoonQuad: an emotive quadruped for exploring human-robot interaction

We present GoonQuad, an emotive quadruped capable of expressing emotional behaviours as a response to human touch. GoonQuad comprises five prerecorded states: angry, cheerful, sleepy, confused and a baseline breathing state. Each state is triggered by human touch in areas specified by the eyebrows and a tattoo, painted with conductive ink. Moreover, GoonQuad is capable of recording and replaying movements via direct user manipulation. To enable the robot to record and replay new motions, analog feedback servos were embedded in the 3D printed structure. Our aim was to develop a system where users can interact with a robot naturally and the robot can adapt to this natural interaction.