圓﨑 祐貴

This paper describes about project “Data Sensorium” launched at the Asia AI Institute of Musashino University. Data Sensoriumis a conceptual framework of systems providing physical experience of content stored in database. Spatial immersive display is a key technology of Data Sensorium. This paper introduces prototype implementation of the concept and its application to environmental and architectural dataset.

This paper studies the characteristics of the human perception of a haptic shape-changing interface, capable of altering its size and rigidity simultaneously for presenting characteristics of virtual objects physically. The haptic interface is composed of an array of computer-controlled balloons, with two mechanisms, one for changing size and one for changing rigidity. We manufactured two balloons and conducted psychophysical experiments with twenty subjects to measure perceived sensory thresholds and haptic perception of the change of size and rigidity. The results show that subjects can correctly discriminate different conditions with an acceptable level of accuracy. Our results also suggest that the proposed system can present an ample range of rigidities and variations of the size in a way that is compatible with the human haptic perception of physical materials. Currently, shape-changing interfaces do not hold a defined position in the current VR / AR research. Our results provide basic knowledge for developing novel types of haptic interfaces that can enhance the haptic perception of virtual objects, allowing rich embodied interactions, and synchronize the virtual and the physical world through computationally-controlled materiality.

A furniture-device is a device having the furniture appearance and physical input and output functions. The Escaping Chair is a furniture-device capable of having physical and dynamic interaction with a subject to create self-Awareness toward the intent of their actions and personification of the furniture-device. The chair interacts with bystanders by trying to move away from nearby people. By fleeing this, the device tries to make a person unable to sit on it, stimulating their perception toward their sitting action, while also making the person consider the Chair's "personality." We exhibited the chair and collected feedback via conversation and observation. During exhibition the exhibit, the chair succeeded in making subjects perceive their own movements and to feel a semblance of will in the chair during their interactions, as we planned, and even making them sympathize with it. Exhibition also raised further challenges to explore in user interaction.

A furniture-device is a device having the furniture appearance and physical input and output functions. The Escaping Chair is a furniture-device capable of having physical and dynamic interaction with a subject to create self-Awareness toward the intent of their actions and personification of the furniture-device. The chair interacts with bystanders by trying to move away from nearby people. By fleeing this, the device tries to make a person unable to sit on it, stimulating their perception toward their sitting action, while also making the person consider the Chair's "personality." We exhibited the chair and collected feedback via conversation and observation. During exhibition the exhibit, the chair succeeded in making subjects perceive their own movements and to feel a semblance of will in the chair during their interactions, as we planned, and even making them sympathize with it. Exhibition also raised further challenges to explore in user interaction.

<p>The "Big Robot" has two legs with wheels, mounting the pilot at 5m height position. The robot goes forward according with the motion of the feet of the pilot. It is programed to make trajectory of head position of 5m giant. Thus, the pilot feels as if his/her body were extended to 5m giant. The biggest technical issue in large-scale robot is falling down to the ground. Thus, the base frame of BigRobot is made of steel and its linkages are made of CFRP. This structure enables low center of gravity and prevents from falling down. The Big Robot was exhibited at Ars Electronica Festival 2015, Tsukuba Media Art Festival 2015 and Emerging Technologies of SIGGRAPH 2016, that proved its effectiveness.</p>

<p>In this study, we developed a novel immersive display with the world's largest encapsulated space, the LargeSpace. The display consists of an immersive screen, 12 projectors, 10 computers, and 20 motion-capture cameras. To stitch projected images continuously, the screen has not only flat shape, but also toroidal and cylindrical surfaces. We optimized the position and attitude of the projectors for filling the screen with pixels and minimizing perceived occlusion. The motion capture system derives the position of user's eyes and the cluster computers generate user's perspective in the virtual world. We discussed today's best implementation of large immersive displays and mentioned about screen shapes, projection systems, optimum projector arrangement and position tracking systems. Additionally, we proposed a method to compare a front projection system with a rear projection system by the size of the effective area users can walk around without impairing a large display's field of view. Additionally, we mentioned the "Bird Song Diamond Project in Japan" (BSD). BSD uses the LargeSpace and motion base system to deliver an artistic experience.</p>

The Big Robot Mk.1A has two legs with wheels, mounting the pilot at 5m height position. The robot goes forward according with the motion of the feet of the pilot. It is programed to make trajectory of head position of 5m humanoid. Thus, the pilot feels as if his/her body were extended to 5m giant.

© Springer Japan 2015. In this study, a system for a hepatectomy simulator was developed. The system consists of 2 haptic devices, a visual display, a depth sensor, and a control PC. One of the haptic devices is used for left hand. A silicon rubber mock-up of the lobe of a liver is attached to the end effector of the haptic device. Another haptic device is provided for right hand, which is a mock-up of an ultrasonic aspirator. Then, the user can incises a virtual liver with it, and the mock-up is vibrated similar to a real ultrasonic aspirator. By using the depth sensor, the position of the haptic device is measured and transmitted to the PC. In the PC, simulation software, named Liversim, calculates the interference between the tip of the interface and the virtual liver. The virtual liver can be deformed, translated, or incised by the user. Image of the virtual liver is presented to the user. And the user can feel the reaction force like a real surgery through the haptic interfaces.

This paper presents a locomotion interface using torus-shaped treadmill. Traveling on foot is the most intuitive way for locomotion. An infinite surface driven by actuators is an ideal device for creation of sense of walking. The Torus Treadmill employs 14 sets of treadmills. These treadmills are connected side-by-side and driven in perpendicular direction. The effect of infinite surface is generated by the motion of the treadmills. The walker can go in any direction while his/her position remains localized in the real world. The device has modular structure that enables portability for exhibition. It was exhibited in Ars Electronica 2011 in Linz Austria

This paper presents a work carried out for a project to develop a new interactive technique that combines haptic sensation with computer graphics. The project has two goals. The first one is to provide users with a spatially continuous surface on which they can effectively touch an image using any part of their bare hand, including the palm. The second is to present visual and haptic sensation simultaneously by using a single device that doesn't oblige the users to wear any equipment. In order to achieve these goals, we have developed balloon array volumetric haptic display named Volflex. The Volflex, however, has small range of displayed volume. In this paper, we focus on expanding the ability to present varied shape of virtual object from flat surface to volumetric surface. We designed a new volumetric haptic display named Volflex+. It is composed of a group of air balloons controlled by air cylinders. Each air cylinder is attached to a linear actuator so that each balloon is able to move up/down. This configuration drastically expands presented volume..

Device art is a new concept of art that shows essence of technology. Works of device art are often created in bottom-up process. The Device Art Toolkit is a tool for creation of these works. It is intended to achieve usability as well as scalability. The toolkit has modular structure consisting of control modules, input modules, output modules and communication modules. It also has actuator modules. The structure enables easy try-and-error in creation process.