Morten Fjeld

Physical and Virtual Tools: ActivityTheory Applied to the Design of Groupware

Activity theory is based on theconcept of tools mediating between subjects andobjects. In this theory, an individualscreative interaction with his or hersurroundings can result in the production oftools. When an individuals mental processesare exteriorized in the form of tools – termedobjectification – they become more accessibleto other people and are therefore useful forsocial interaction. This paper shows how ourunderstanding of activity theory has shaped ourdesign philosophy for groupware and how we haveapplied it. Our design philosophy and practiceis exemplified by a description of the BUILD-ITsystem. This is an Augmented Reality system wedeveloped to enhance group work; it is a kindof graspable groupware which supportscooperative planning. The system allows a groupof people, co-located around a table, tointeract, by means of physical bricks, withmodels in a virtual three-dimensional (3D)setting. Guided by task analysis, a set ofspecific tools for different 3D planning andconfiguration tasks was implemented as part ofthis system. We investigate both physical andvirtual tools. These tools allow users toadjust model height, viewpoint, and scale ofthe virtual setting. Finally, our designpractice is summarized in a set of designguidelines. Based on these guidelines, wereflect on our own design practice and theusefulness of activity theory for design.

Augmented Chemistry: an interactive educational workbench

We report on some of the advantages tangible interaction can bring to chemistry education. We describe the realisation of a tangible user interface (TUI) called Augmented Chemistry (AC). A set of interactive tools work within this system. Using these tools, elements can be chosen from a booklet menu and composed into 3D molecular models. The tools are one way towards seamless integration of the physical and digital realms. Since multiple tools can be used concurrently, single and multiple users can use the system at a time. To use the system in an educational context, it was extended into an educational workbench drawing on haptic and aural augmentation. The design and implementation of our system required contributions from optics, mathematics, molecular chemistry, software engineering, and 3D programming, making it a truly interdisciplinary project. Future challenges lie in user acceptance, educational effect, and further system development.

Tangible user interface for chemistry education: comparative evaluation and re-design

Augmented Chemistry (AC) is an application that utilizes a tangible user interface (TUI) for organic chemistry education. The empirical evaluation described in this paper compares learning effectiveness and user acceptance of AC versus the more traditional ball-and-stick model (BSM). Learning effectiveness results were almost the same for both learning environments. User preference and rankings, using NASA-TLX and SUMI, showed more differences and it was therefore decided to focus mainly on improving these aspects in a re-design of the AC system. For enhanced interaction, keyboard-free system configuration, and internal/external database (DB) access, a graphical user interface (GUI) has been incorporated into the TUI. Three-dimensional (3D) rendering has also been improved using shadows and related effects, thereby enhancing depth perception. The re-designed AC system was then compared to the old system by means of a small qualitative user study. This user study showed an improvement in subjective opinions a out the systems ease of use and ease of learning.

BUILD-IT: a planning tool for construction and design

It is time to go beyond the established approaches in humancomputer interaction. With the Augmented Reality (AR) design strategy humans are able to behave as much as possible in a natural way: behavior of humans in the real world with other humans and/or real world objects. Following the fundamental constraints of natural way of interacting we derive a set of recommendations for the next generation of user interfaces: the Natural User Interface (NUI). The concept of NUI is presented in form of a runnable demonstrator: a computer vision-based interaction technique for a planning tool for construction and design tasks.

BUILD-IT: An Intuitive Design Tool Based on Direct Object Manipulation

Natural interaction, in the context of this paper, means human action in a world of tangible objects and live subjects. We introduce the concept of action regulation and relate it to observable human behaviour. A tool bringing together motor and cognitive action is a promising way to assure complete task regulation. Aiming for such tools, we propose a set of guidelines for the next generation of user interfaces, the Natural User Interface (NUI). We present a NUI instantiation called BUILD-IT, featuring video-mediated interaction in a task specific context. This multi-brick interaction tool renders virtual objects tangible and allows multiple user simultaneous interaction in one common space. A few user experiences are briefly described

Exploring user motivations for eyes-free interaction on mobile devices

While there is increasing interest in creating eyes-free interaction technologies, a solid analysis of why users need or desire eyes-free interaction has yet to be presented. To gain a better understanding of such user motivations, we conducted an exploratory study with four focus groups, and suggest a classification of motivations for eyes-free interaction under four categories (environmental, social, device features, and personal). Exploring and analyzing these categories, we present early insights pointing to design implications for future eyes-free interactions.

Exploring Brick-Based Navigation and Composition in an Augmented Reality

BUILD-IT is a planning tool based on computer vision technology, supporting complex planning and composition tasks. A group of people, seated around a table, interact with objects in a virtual scene using real bricks. A plan view of the scene is projected onto the table, where object manipulation takes place. A perspective view is projected on the wall. The views are set by virtual cameras, having spatial attributes like shift, rotation and zoom. However, planar interaction with bricks provides only position and rotation information. Object height control is equally constrained by planar interaction. The aim of this paper is to suggest methods and tools bridging the gap between planar interaction and three-dimensional control. To control camera attributes, active objects, with intelligent behaviour are introduced. To control object height, several real and virtual tools are suggested. Some of the solutions are based on metaphors, like window, sliding-ruler and floor.

Mixed Reality: A Survey

A multi-point-to-point conferencing system comprising a plurality of terminals connected by a network including data and control channels is disclosed. In a particular embodiment, the network is an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) having data (B) channels and a control (D) channel. The conference is established in a manner that does not waste connection setup attempts or data channel connect time by attempting to establish a conference when a participating terminal does not have the necessary data channels available. The terminal initiating the conference communicates with at least one participating terminal to determine the use status, or availability, of the required number of data channels. If a participating terminal decides to join the conference, either automatically or through user confirmation, the participating terminal (1) reserves the required data channels for a limited time such that connection requests are only accepted from conference terminals and (2) communicates its decision to the initiating terminal. Now knowing that data channel connections can be successfully established between those terminals ready to participate, the initiating terminal initiates a conference using normal multi-point-to-point connection procedures.

BUILD-IT: A Computer Vision-based Interaction Technique for a Planning Tool

In this article we wish to show a method that goes beyond the established approaches of human-computer interaction. We first bring a serious critique of traditional interface types, showing their major drawbacks and limitations. Promising alternatives are offered by Virtual (or: immersive) Reality (VR) and by Augmented Reality (AR). The AR design strategy enables humans to behave in a nearly natural way. Natural interaction means human actions in the real world with other humans and/or with real world objects. Guided by the basic constraints of natural interaction, we derive a set of recommendations for the next generation of user interfaces: the Natural User Interface (NUI). Our approach to NUIs is discussed in the form of a general framework followed by a prototype. The prototype tool builds on video-based interaction, and supports construction and plant layout. A first empirical evaluation is briefly presented.

A gesture based interaction technique for a planning tool for construction and design

In this article we present a method that goes beyond the established approaches of human-computer interaction. We first bring a serious critique of traditional interface types, showing their major drawbacks and limitations. Promising alternatives are offered by virtual (or immersive) reality (VR) and by augmented reality (AR). The AR design strategy enables humans to behave in a nearly natural way. Natural interaction means human actions in the real world with other humans and/or with real world objects. Guided by the basic constraints of natural interaction, we derive a set of recommendations for the next generation of user interfaces: the natural user interface (NUI). Our approach to NUIs is discussed in the form of a general framework followed by a prototype. The prototype tool builds on video-based interaction and supports construction and plant layout. A first empirical evaluation is briefly presented.