Mark T. Bolas

Human factors in the design of an immersive display

In 1988 Fakespace began building a telepresence camera system for the Virtual Environment Workstation (View) project at NASA Ames Research Center. The complete system combined a teleoperated camera platform and 3D viewing system. Fakespace has installed descendents of this system for day-to-day use in environments ranging from research laboratories to office cubicles. By observing how people use image-generation and viewing technologies, we have evaluated the human factors involved in building and deploying effective immersive visualization systems. This article describes the application of these factors in the design of the Fakespace BOOM (Binocular Omni-Orientation Monitor). The Fakespace BOOM represents a class of immersive display devices known as counterbalanced displays. The choices that led to the design of this device apply to the design of many types of immersive displays.<<ETX>>

Snared illumination

5. References BELL, B. 1980. http://elixir.bu.edu/apr3003/hotspot/photonics.htm KELLER, K. and ACKERMAN, J. 2000 Real-time Structured Light Depth Extraction, Proceedings SPIE EI CURRAN, S. et al 1990 Critical flicker fusion in normal elderly subjects; A cross-sectional community study. Current Psychology: Research & Reviews, 9(1), 25-34.

New research and explorations into multiuser immersive display systems

The basic design challenge is to create a system that can display multiple images in a common area, occluding all but the appropriate pair of these images for each user. Thus, the system would deliver a unique image for each eyeball viewing the scene. Solutions fall into four general categories: Spatial barriers use the displays physical configuration and user placement to block users from seeing each others view. Optical filtering involves systems that filter viewpoints using lights electromagnetic properties, such as polarization or wavelength. Optical routing uses the angle-sensitive optical characteristics of certain materials to direct or occlude images based on the users position. Time multiplexing solutions use time-sequenced light and shutters to determine which user sees an image at a given point in time. Systems also can mix solutions from these categories. Time multiplexing, for example, could serve to create stereoscopic images, with spatial barriers employed to ensure that each user sees only the correct image.

Interaction devices for hands-on desktop design

Starting with a list of typical hand actions - such as touching or twisting - a collection of physical input device prototypes was created to study better ways of engaging the body and mind in the computer aided design process. These devices were interchangeably coupled with a graphics system to allow for rapid exploration of the interplay between the designers intent, body motions, and the resulting on-screen design. User testing showed that a number of key considerations should influence the future development of such devices: coupling between the physical and virtual worlds, tactile feedback, and scale. It is hoped that these explorations contribute to the greater goal of creating user interface devices that increase the fluency, productivity and joy of computer-augmented design.