Hideaki Nii

Augmented coliseum: an augmented game environment with small vehicles

We propose a novel display based game environment using augmented reality technology with small robots. In this environment, the small robots can be augmented by a display image according to their positions and postures. The augmentation activity reinforces the fun of playing with such small robots in the real world.

Time Follower's Vision: a teleoperation interface with past images

Time-Followerss Vision is a mixed-reality-based visual presentation system that captures a robotic vehicles size, position, and environment, allowing even inexperienced operators to easily control it. The technique produces a virtual image using mixed reality technology and presents the vehicles surrounding environment and status to the operator. Therefore, even for inexperienced operators, the vehicles position and orientation and the surrounding situation can be readily understood. The authors implement a prototype system and evaluate its feasibility. This article is available with a short video documentary on CD-ROM.

Finding the right way for interrupting people improving their sitting posture

In this paper, we present three different ways of interrupting people to posture guidance. We developed an ergonomically adjustable office chair equipped with four sensors measuring the office workers posture. It is important that users do some training after bad posture and be alerted of this; therefore, we implemented three different alert modalities (Graphical Feedback, Physical Feedback, and Vibrotactile Feedback), with the goal to find out which of the techniques is the most effective interruption modality without causing a huge disruption effect. To measure the task-performance, we conducted a formal user study. Our user study results show there are different effects on performance and disruptiveness caused by the three interruption techniques. While the vibrotactile feedback might have higher information awareness benefits at the beginning, it causes a huge intrusion side-effect. Thus, the physical feedback was rated less disruptive to the workflow as the other two feedback modalities.

Tongue Mounted Interface for Digitally Actuating the Sense of Taste

Most of the systems for generating taste sensations are based on blending different chemicals appropriately, and there are less proven approaches to stimulate the sense of taste digitally. In this paper, a method to digitally stimulate the sense of taste is introduced and demonstrated based on electrical and thermal stimulation on human tongue. Thus, two digital control systems are presented to control taste sensations and their intensities effectively on the tongue. The effects of most persuading factors such as current, frequency, and temperature have been accounted to noninvasively stimulate the tongue. The initial experimental results indicate that sour (strong), bitter (mild), and salty(mild) are the main sensations, which can be evoked while there are evidences of sweet sensation too. Based on the results of the Tongue Mounted Digital Taste Interface, we have then developed another system which named as the Digital Sour Lollipop to effectively control the sour taste digitally. Initial experimental results of this system show the controllability of sour taste up to three levels of intensities using the electrical stimulation on human tongue.

Smart Light-Ultra High Speed Projector for Spatial Multiplexing Optical Transmission

We present a spatial multiplex optical transmission system named the “Smart Light” (See Figure 1), which provides multiple data streams to multiple points simultaneously. This system consists of a projector and some devices along with a photo-detector. The projector projects images with invisible information to the devices, and devices receive some data. In this system, the data stream is expandable to a positionbased audio or video stream by using DMDs (Digital Micro-mirror Device) or LEDs (Light Emitting Diode) with unperceivable space-time modulation. First, in a preliminary experiment, we confirmed with a commercially produced XGA grade projector transmitting a million points that the data rate of its path is a few bits per second. Detached devices can receive relative position data and other properties from the projector. Second, we made an LED type high-speed projector to transmit audio streams using modulated light on an object and confirmed the transmission of positionbased audio stream data.

Augmented coliseum: display-based computing for augmented reality inspiration computing robot

Augmented Coliseum is an application of Display-based Computing (DBC) technology, a novel technique using the performance of display devices to output arbitrary optical information with division and multiplexing of time and space. Using this technology, Augmented Coliseum shows a symbiosis of Computer Graphics and Robotics. Robots are augmented and controlled by computer graphics drawn by a projector. The symbiosis expands your imagination with real world robots like kids dreams.

A teddy-bear-based robotic user interface

A robotic user interface (RUI) is part of a concept in which a robot is used as an interface for human behavior. Our RUI is a system for interpersonal exchange that uses robots as agents for physical communication. In this article we propose a new type of RUI for interactive entertainment. This RUI enables people to directly interact with the information world.

RePro3D: full-parallax 3D display with haptic feedback using retro-reflective projection technology

We propose a novel full-parallax three-dimensional (3D) display system-RePro3D-that is suitable for interactive 3D applications with haptic feedback.Our approach is based on the retro-reflective projection technology in which several images projected from a projector array are displayed on a retro-reflective screen. When viewers view the screen through a half mirror, they see, without the aid of glasses, a 3D image superimposed in real space. RePro3D has a sensor function that recognizes user input; therefore, it can support some interactive features such as manipulation of 3D objects. In addition, a wearable haptic device, which is a part of our system, provides the user with a sensation of having touched the 3D image. In this paper, we describe the optical system of the high-density projector array used in RePro3D. Then, we describe the development of a prototype of RePro3D. The prototype is used to demonstrate that our system displays full-parallax images superimposed in real space from 42 different viewpoints. The proposed system enables a user to physically interact with the 3D image with haptic feedback.

Visual perception modulated by galvanic vestibular stimulation

Galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS) induces a sensation of virtual acceleration as vestibular information and its application is expected as a wearable interface because it does not need a large device like a motion platform. In particular, GVS with alternating current (AC) can influence vision that mainly consists of a torsional component. This research aimed to quantitatively evaluate the effects of GVS on visual perception, and to infer its cause. To investigate these issues, we conducted psychophysical experiments during GVS with AC that consisted of three different image presentation methods; images fixed on spatial coordinate, head coordinate and retina coordinate systems. It is suggested that the visual motion perception induced by GVS is mediated by eye movements. As well, the stimulus frequency response of the current threshold, at which the subjects perceived visual motion, showed a U-shaped curve for stimulus frequency dependency.

Fuwa-Vision: an auto-stereoscopic floating-image display

We propose Fuwa-Vision, a simple interactive auto-stereoscopic display for multiple users, which does not require glasses or mechanical moving components. This system can project auto-stereoscopic images in midair with a simple structure. This provides a proper view of the combination of stereoscopic objects and real objects. In this setup, it can detect the location of the object, and allow the interaction with the 3D image. For example, it can detect the position of the candle, and render virtual flame for this candle as if it were with real fire. This display is consist of four parts, backlighted Liquid Crystal Display(LCD), transparent LCD, the Fresnel convex lens on the optical axis and the head tracking system for the viewers position. It control the direction of light precisely.