Kasun Karunanayaka

Liquid interface: a malleable, transient, direct-touch interface

We present a new methodology based on ferromagnetic fluids in which the user can have direct interaction (input/output) through a tangible and malleable interface. Liquid Interfaces uses the physical qualities of ferromagnetic fluids in combination with capacitive, multi-touch technology, to produce a 3D, multi-touch interface where actuation, representation, and self-configuration occur through the malleable liquid, ferromagnetic fluid. This, combined with the ability to produce sound, enables users to create musical sculptures that can be morphed in real time by interacting directly with the ferromagnetic fluid.

New Interaction Tools for Preserving an Old Language

The Penan people of Malaysian Borneo were traditionally nomads of the rainforest. They would leave messages in the jungle for each other by shaping natural objects into language tokens and arranging these symbols in specific ways -- much like words in a sentence. With settlement, the language is being lost as it is not being used by the younger generation. We report here, a tangible system designed to help the Penan preserve their unique object writing language. The key features of the system are that: its tangibles are made of real objects; it works in the wild; and new tangibles can be fabricated and added to the system by the users. Our evaluations show that the system is engaging and encourages intergenerational knowledge transfer and thus has the potential to help preserve this language.

1st international workshop on multi-sensorial approaches to human-food interaction (workshop summary)

This is an introductory paper for the workshop entitled ‘Multi-Sensorial Approaches to Human-Food Interaction’ held at ICMI 2016, which took place the 16th of November, 2016 in Tokyo, Japan. Here we discuss our objectives and the relevance of the workshop, and summarize the key contributions of the position papers. We were able to gather a group of researchers from different countries in Europe and Asia who presented their research and discussed the current developments, trends, limitations, and future applications of the field. Whilst this is the first workshop of its kind, we anticipate that the field of multisensory Human-Food Interaction (HFI) will grow in the upcoming years in terms of research and development, and its products will impact our everyday eating experiences.

Electrical stimulation of olfactory receptors for digitizing smell

The digital stimulation of smell is considered as a useful step in expanding the technology related to multisensory communication. Previous methods for activating the sensation of smell chemically, has obvious disadvantages such as being complex, expensive and lower controllability. In this paper, we propose a digital interface for actuating smell sensations. This is done by stimulating the olfactory receptors of the nasal conchae using weak electrical pulses. The sensitivity and effectiveness of electrical stimulation on human smell receptors will be studied by using different current and frequency parameters with real users.

Linetic: Technical, Usability and Aesthetic Implications of a Ferrofluid-Based Organic User Interface

We present an OUI that combines Hall Effect sensing and actuation through electromagnetically-manipulated ferrofluid. The movement of magnets worn on the fingertips, over a surface embedded with a Hall Effect sensor array and electromagnets, gives the user the ability to interact with ferrofluid. This system provides a three-dimensional, physically animated response, as well as three-dimensional, spatial-sensing inputs. The vibration of the magnets worn on the fingertips, produced by the repulsing polarity of the electromagnets, provides the user with haptic feedback. Linetic is a multimodal interface with a visual, audio and haptic experience. In this manuscript we explain the overall system from a technical, usability and aesthetic viewpoint by outlining significant experiments conducted that contribute to the development of the system. Furthermore we discuss the philosophical and aesthetical implications of the Linetic system, as well as characterize Linetic’s disposition to Analogness or Digitalness.

Magnetic field based near surface haptic and pointing interface

Magnetic field based Near Surface Haptic and Pointing Interface is a new type of pointing interface which provides mouse interactions, haptic feedback and other enhanced features. It could also be configured as a haptic display, where users can feel the basic geometrical shapes in the GUI by moving the finger on top of the device surface. These functionalities are attained by tracking 3D position of a neodymium magnet, using Hall Effect sensors grid and generating like polarity haptic feedback using an electromagnet array.

Magnetic Dining Table and Magnetic Foods

In this poster, we present our concept of magnetic dining table interface and magnetic foods. This interface allows new interactions for the food and utensils such as modifying weight, levitation, movement, and dynamic textures. We implement these interactions by manipulating a strong magnetic field formed by an array of Bitter electromagnets which placed under the surface of the table. Then we add edible magnetic materials to the foods, and make them interactive and controllable.

Lovotics: Love and Sex with Robots

The publication of the book “Love and Sex with Robots”, late in 2007 by Dr. David Levy, heralded a new era in this somewhat controversial field. Human-Robot intimate relationships were no longer pure science fiction but had entered the hallowed halls of serious academic research. This book chapter presents a summary of significant activity in this field during the recent years, and predicts how the field is likely to develop. We will also detail about our research in physical devices for human-robot love and sex communication.

Electric, thermal, and magnetic based digital interfaces for next generation food experiences

In this article we present how electrical, magnetic, and thermal interfaces can create and modify taste and smell sensations with new interactions. In future, these technologies can play a vital role in food consumption, food manufacturing, food based interactions and multisensory communication. We provide a detail review of previous electrical, thermal and magnetic interfaces in the related research area and then we present the currently ongoing research works carried out by the authors. We also discuss how these technologies can create, modify new interactions for industry of foods, marketing, communication and computing. Especially we believe that the future of internet will not only depend with visual, audio, and tactile stimuli but also with smell (olfaction) and taste (gustation). Humans would share these stimuli collectively as an experience digitally, like they do with the visual and audio media on the internet. We want to propose an idea of digital olfaction and gustation as input and output for interaction for creating and experiencing digital representation of foods.

Hall effect sensing input and like polarity haptic feedback in the liquid interface system

Liquid Interface is an organic user interface that utilizes ferrofluid as an output display and input button embodiment. Using a matrix of Hall effect sensors, magnetic fields generated by rare-earth magnets worn on the fingertips are measured and are then converted into signals that provide input capability. This input actuates an array of electromagnets. Both Hall effect sensors and electromagnets are contained beneath the surface of the ferrofluid. By matching like polarities between the electromagnets and the rare-earth magnets, haptic force feedback by means of magnetic field repulsion can be achieved.