Marco Speicher

Collaborative Newspaper Demo: Exploring an adaptive Scrolling Algorithm in a Multi-user Reading Scenario

Digital content, like news presented on screens at public places (e.g., subway stations) is pervasive. Usually it is not possible for passers-by to conveniently interact with such public displays, as content is not interactive or responsive. Especially news screens are normally showing one news article after another, reducing the amount of information fitting the screen dimensions. In this paper we developed a collaborative newspaper application based on an adaptive scrolling algorithm, that manages scrolling of the same content for several users simultaneously. We are using head-mounted eye trackers to track peoples gaze on the screen and detect their reading positions. Thus we offer the possibility to display news texts which are larger than the screen height, as the system automatically adapts the text scrolling to the persons reading behavior. In a user study with fifteen participants we investigated how the scrolling algorithm affects the reading speed of people in single- and multi-user scenarios. Further we evaluated the work load while using the system. The results show that the adaptive scrolling algorithm does not negatively influence the reading speed, neither in single- nor in a multi-user reading scenario.

Exploring Rock Climbing in Mixed Reality Environments

While current consumer virtual reality headsets can convey a strong feeling of immersion, one drawback is still the missing haptic feedback when interacting with virtual objects. In this work, we investigate the use of a artificial climbing wall as a haptic feedback device in a virtual rock climbing environment. It enables the users to wear a head-mounted display and actually climb on the physical climbing wall which conveys the feeling of climbing on a large mountain face.

Interacting with 3D Content on Stereoscopic Displays

Along with the number of pervasive displays in urban environments, recent advances in technology allow to display three-dimensional (3D) content on these displays. However, current input techniques for pervasive displays usually focus on interaction with two-dimensional (2D) data. To enable interaction with 3D content on pervasive displays, we need to adapt existing and create novel interaction techniques. In this paper we investigate remote interaction with 3D content on pervasive displays. We introduce and evaluate four 3D travel techniques that rely on well established interaction metaphors and either use a mobile device or depth tracking as spatial input. Our study on a large-scale stereoscopic display shows that the physical travel techniques (whole-body gestures) outperformed the virtual (mobile touch) techniques with respect to task performance time and error rate.

VRShop: A Mobile Interactive Virtual Reality Shopping Environment Combining the Benefits of On- and Offline Shopping

In this work, we explored the main characteristics of on- and offline shops with regard to customer shopping behavior and frequency. Thus, we designed and implemented an immersive virtual reality (VR) online shopping environment. We tried to maintain the benefits of online shops, like search functionality and availability, while simultaneously focusing on shopping experience and immersion. By touching the third dimension, VR provides a more advanced form of visualization, which can increase the customer’s satisfaction and thus shopping experience. We further introduced the Virtual Reality Shopping Experience (VRSE) model based on customer satisfaction, task performance and user preference. A case study of a first VR shop prototype was conducted and evaluated with respect to the VRSE model. The results showed that the usability and user experience of our system is above average overall. In summary, searching for a product in a WebVR online shop using speech input in combination with VR output proved to be the best regarding user performance (speed, error rate) and preference (usability, user experience, immersion, motion sickness).

The audience in the role of the conductor: an interactive concert experience

The work we present is an interdisciplinary collaboration between the Saarland University Orchestra and students of media computer science. The main goal was to create an opportunity for the audience of a live event to engage and have an active influence on the course and mood of the event itself. Our concept was tested and implemented as part of the end of semester concert where an animation - projected on large public display - was musically supported by a live orchestra. The audience of that concert was able to influence the order as well as the mood of the musical pieces by the use of a web application on their mobile phone, and could so take actively part of show.

Exploring 3D manipulation on large stereoscopic displays

In the last years stereoscopic 3D has seen a drastic increase in popularity especially in terms of consumer-ready hardware and software. While the technology for input (smart-phone, Kinect, etc.) as well as output (passive/active stereoscopic and auto-stereoscopic displays etc.) is market ready, only few solutions for natural interaction with such devices exist. In this paper we propose an approach for mobile and gestural interaction with stereoscopic 3D content. We evaluate our technique in a 3D docking task on a large 3D display. In an experiment the interaction technique was evaluated for monoscopic and stereoscopic displayed data. Our results show that the translation and rotation precision benefits from the usage of stereoscopic 3D. Especially for tasks that require simultaneous rotation on all three axes stereoscopic displays outperform monoscopic 3D drastically.

Towards Fixation Extraction in Corneal Imaging Based Eye Tracking Data

Humans sense most of the environment through their eyes. Hence, gaze is a powerful way to estimate visual attention. Head-mounted or mobile eye tracking is an established tool to analyze the visual behavior of people. Since these systems usually require some kind of calibration prior to usage, a new generation of mobile eye tracking devices based on corneal imaging has been investigated. However, little attention has been given on how to analyze corneal imaging specific eye tracking data. A classic approach in state-of-the-art systems is to extract different eye movements (e.g., fixations, saccades and pursuits movements). So far, there is no approach for applying these methods to corneal imaging data. We present a proof-of-concept method for fixation extraction and clustering of corneal imaging data. With this method we can compress the eye tracking data and make it ready for further analysis (e.g., attention measurement and object detection).

A virtual reality shopping experience using the apartment metaphor

In contrast to conventional retail stores, online shopping comes with many advantages, like unrestricted opening hours and is more focused on functionality. However, these pros often come at a cost of complex search and limited product visualization. Virtual Reality (VR) has the potential to create novel shopping experiences that combine the advantages of e-commerce sites and conventional stores. In this work, we propose a VR shop concept where product placement is not organized in shelves but through spatial placement in appropriate locations in an apartment environment. We thus investigated how the spatial arrangement of products in a non-retail environment affects the user, and how the actual shopping task can be supported in VR. In order to answer these questions, we designed two product selection and manipulation techniques (grabbing and pointing) and two VR shopping cart concepts (a realistic basket and an abstract one) and evaluated them in a user study. The results indicate that product interaction using pointing in combination with the abstract cart concept performs best with regard to error rate, user experience and workload. Overall, the proposed apartment metaphor provides excellent customer satisfaction, as well as a particularly high level of immersion and user experience, and it opens up new possibilities for VR shopping experiences that go far beyond mimicking real shop environments in VR.

Exploring task performance and user's preference of mid-air hand interaction in a 3D docking task experiment

While the technology for input (Leap Motion, Kinect, etc.) as well as output (VR headsets, large projection walls, etc.) is market ready, only few solutions for natural interaction with such devices exist. With regard to natural 3D interaction, the human hand seems to be the ideal tool for direct manipulation [2]. But, 3D interaction require more complex interaction techniques, which consequently cause higher levels of user instrumentation [1] and workload, such as physical demand or frustration. Here, a VR approach might be beneficial to the users preference. In this poster we propose an approach for mid-air hand interaction with 3D content in a furniture arrangement scenario. We evaluate our technique in a 3D docking task on a large projected display versus wearing a VR headset. Our experimental results show that the translation and rotation precision benefits from the usage of a projection wall, whereas the participants preferred the HMD with regard to user experience and task workload.

ProductFinder: a location aware product information display for retail environments

Orientating oneself and finding products in retail stores is a well-known problem. Common modern retail stores have up to 10,000 m2 and they offer not fewer than 100,000 products. At the same time, situated public displays and digital signage more and more find their way into such stores. We introduce the ProductFinder, an intelligent product information system for situated interactive public displays in retail environments. Connecting to the stores product database as well as to a market layout service, the ProductFinder forms a new digital connection between the physical store and its digital backend. Our system allows customers to lookup the placement of products in the store while providing filters for ingredients and allergens. We report on the results of an long term in-the-wild study on how customers interact with the ProductFinder and what they are searching for.