Yasuaki Kakehi

UlteriorScape: Interactive optical superimposition on a view-dependent tabletop display

In order to increase the ways that users can intuitively interact with a tabletop display, we developed UlteriorScape. This system integrates two major functions of its predecessors. As with Tablescape Plus, UlteriorScape uses tabletop objects as both projection screens and input interfaces. As with the Lumisight Table, the tabletop is physically single, but visually multiple with a view-dependent display, which can show different images to each user around the table. We developed several applications that demonstrate the advantages of UlteriorScape. In one, a single user can hold a simple screen-object over the tabletop and see additional images projected onto its surface. Those images change interactively based on the position of the object, which is tracked by ID. In another application, multiple users can simultaneously work with a single mountain-shaped object that displays separate images on each side. In this paper, we describe the system design of UlteriorScape and its applications.

ForceTile: tabletop tangible interface with vision-based force distribution sensing

Today, placing physical objects on a tabletop display is common for intuitive tangible input [Ullmer and Ishii 1997]. The overall goal of our project is to increase the interactivity of tabletop tangible interfaces. To achieve this goal, we propose a novel tabletop tangible interface named ‘ForceTile.’ This interface can detect the force distribution on its surface as well as its position, rotation and ID by using a vision-based approach. In our previous optical force sensors “GelForce” [Kamiyama et al. 2004], an elastic body and cameras are fixed together. Contrarily, on this system, users can place and move multiple tile-shaped interfaces on the tabletop display freely. Furthermore, users can interact with projected images on the tabletop screen by moving, pushing or pinching the ForceTiles.

Tablescape Plus: Interactive Small-sized Vertical Displays on a Horizontal Tabletop Display

This paper proposes a novel paradigm: human-centered tabletop computing, which enhances the role of an ordinary table by projecting interactive images onto tabletop objects and the table surface at the same time. The advantage of this approach is that it utilizes tabletop objects as projection screens as well as input tools. As a result, we can change the appearance and role of each tabletop object easily and fulfill two important requirements of tabletop tangible interfaces, identifiability and versatility, which have proven difficult to satisfy simultaneously in previous systems. Our prototype, tablescape plus, achieves these functions by using two projectors and a special tabletop screen system that diffuses or transmits images selectively according to the projection orientation. This paper presents the design principle, optical design, and implementation of tablescape plus. Furthermore, we introduce several interactive applications.

Printflatables: Printing Human-Scale, Functional and Dynamic Inflatable Objects

Printflatables is a design and fabrication system for human-scale, functional and dynamic inflatable objects. We use inextensible thermoplastic fabric as the raw material with the key principle of introducing folds and thermal sealing. Upon inflation, the sealed object takes the expected three dimensional shape. The workflow begins with the user specifying an intended 3D model which is decomposed to two dimensional fabrication geometry. This forms the input for a numerically controlled thermal contact iron that seals layers of thermoplastic fabric. In this paper, we discuss the system design in detail, the pneumatic primitives that this technique enables and merits of being able to make large, functional and dynamic pneumatic artifacts. We demonstrate the design output through multiple objects which could motivate fabrication of inflatable media and pressure-based interfaces.

Lumisight table: interactive view-dependent display-table surrounded by multiple users

Lumisight Table is not just an interactive display technology. Now, you have a new canvas. You can display anything, and design new interactive applications on it. The possibilities are unlimited: entertainment, computer supported cooperative work, networked applications, and media art works. In order to realize Lumasight Table, we will implement an application program interface in the near future.

Bloxels: glowing blocks as volumetric pixels

In this paper, we propose a novel block-shaped tangible interface named Bloxel (see Figure 1). A Bloxel is a translucent cubical block that glows in full color and communicates with the neighboring Bloxels through high-speed flickers. Our significant accomplishment is that users can build displays with a variety of shapes by stacking hundreds of Bloxels on a tabletop surface. Each Bloxel obtains its color data from the lower Bloxel through infra-red high-speed flickers, and transfers a series of color data to the upper Bloxel. In this way, Bloxels serve as volumetric pixels which can display meaningful content as a whole. With our module-based approach, we introduce a ground-breaking display technology. Moreover, as an augmented version of childrens block play, Bloxels will have a significant novel impact on the field of physical computing and tangible interfaces.

enchanted scissors: a scissor interface for support in cutting and interactive fabrication

We present an approach to support basic and complex cutting processes through an interactive fabrication experience [Willis et al. 2011]. Our system, enchanted scissors, is a digitally controlled pair of scissors (Figure 1). It restricts areas that can be cut while requiring the users exertion of force and decision to execute each cut. Therefore, unlike a completely digitalized cutting device, the user can freely apply improvisations within the permitted areas in real-time. A pair of scissors is a common tool seen and used in everyday life; the user can instantly recognize its operation method. It has varieties of usage from opening a letter to creating a complicated paper craft. While using scissors, it is common to cut unintended parts or difficult to control the blades for cutting intricate details. enchanted scissors prevents these errors in advance by using two switchable programs to restrict the areas that can be cut. Both programs provide real-time feedback to the user during the cutting process as regular scissors would. This allows a comfortable connection of the users physical input and the output implemented by the device.

onNote: playing printed music scores as a musical instrument

This paper presents a novel musical performance system named onNote that directly utilizes printed music scores as a musical instrument. This system can make users believe that sound is indeed embedded on the music notes in the scores. The users can play music simply by placing, moving and touching the scores under a desk lamp equipped with a camera and a small projector. By varying the movement, the users can control the playing sound and the tempo of the music. To develop this system, we propose an image processing based framework for retrieving music from a music database by capturing printed music scores. From a captured image, we identify the scores by matching them with the reference music scores, and compute the position and pose of the scores with respect to the camera. By using this framework, we can develop novel types of musical interactions.

MOSS-xels: slow changing pixels using the shape of racomitrium canescens

classroom use is granted without fee provided that copies are not made or distributed for commercial advantage and that copies bear this notice and the full citation on the first page. Copyrights for third-party components of this work must be honored. For all other uses, contact the Owner/Author. SIGGRAPH 2014, August 10 – 14, 2014, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. 2014 Copyright held by the Owner/Author. ACM 978-1-4503-2958-3/14/08 MOSS-xels: Slow Changing Pixels Using the Shape of Racomitrium Canescens

SolaColor: space coloration with solar light

SolaColor is a scheme for creating a place (namely, a floor space) whose color is varied in response to sunlight. The aim of this work is to create sustainable spatial rendition by utilizing sunlight. A feature of this spatial-rendition scheme is rendering places by color--rather than contrast---of lighting. By means of SolaColor, areas in sunlight are colored in pink, while shaded areas are colored white. When this scheme is practically applied, time-varying patterns appear in synchronization with the movement of the sun. When a person or object enters a space created by SolaColor, white shadows oriented according to the position of the sun are formed in the manner of a sundial. The scheme can be implemented by utilizing photochromic material and optical design, and it can be introduced in any location under sunlight without the need for an electrical-power supply.