An interesting project by Peter Berkelman and Ralph Hollis from 1998. The project is no longer active, you can check out the current projects from Microdynamic Systems Laboratory. The Psychophysics of Haptic Interaction studies the way in which users interact with real and virtual haptic worlds.
Here is a simple overview of the Magnetic Levitation Haptic Interface and a more detailed video.
Murat Konar developed loopqoob , an interative performance system which uses sensor-equipped cubes to produce sound. A unique music loop is mapped to each side, so the orientation of the cubes determines the music played.
A similar project is Neel Joshi’s music_blocks which consists of four wooden blocks each containing a 2 axis photointerrupter tilt sensors and a speaker. Three notes and silence are mapped to each side of the blocks, so positioning them in certain ways creates different sound output. The system is controlled via max/msp.
With a uni-pressure and dual-pressure augmented mouse, users have additional functional control. Two or more pressure sensors can be used in tandem. As always I’d like to see this principle applied in a music environment, current/future applications or perhaps even hardware instruments.
Sile O’Modhrain has produced an interesting instrument called the Pebble Box, that uses collision theory and physical systems principles. Users interact with objects and sound is produced according to the movement between them.
CreDio is a ‘novel musical instrument that combines digital and mechanical functions to control sound synthesis algorithms.’
ASSIST allows a user to sketch a mechanical system and run the simulation.
Created by Ramon Schreuder i_AM is an interactive audiovisual media installation. The project was a result of research and collaboration with industrial designers, djs, music producers, vjs, animators and software developers. Users interact with objects to create audio and visuals in real-time. The system uses the opensource reacTIVision software developed for the reacTable project.
A tangible drum machine developed by Enrico Costanza at MIT’s Media Laboratory. The Audio d-touch uses wooden blocks to sequence the music and a computer is used to map the location of them via a webcam. The position of each block is used to control a digital audio synthesis process.
Researchers at University of Tokyo’s Ishikawa-Namiki Laboratory are developing a Laser Active Tracking system for human-computer interaction. The system uses a laser diode (visible or invisible light), steering mirrors and a non-imaging photodetector - used to track the laser real-time in a three dimensional environment without image processing.
In Februray 2006, Jeff Han presented a new multi-touch interface screen at the TEDTalks - see the video here. Here’s a new video with Jeff Han and Phil Davidson demonstarting an updated version of the interface - [source].
Tokyo Institute of Technology developed a tele-kinesthetic interaction environment, using MyKinSynthesizer and SPIDARmotion, allowing a user to remotely interact with a physical object by moving and straining their hands. MyKinSynthesizer approximates the hand motions by synthesizing EMG signals and SPIDARmotion is used to display the 3D motion of a hanging ball within a cubic frame. It was featured as an emerging technology at SIGGRAPH 2006.
Developed by researchers from Switzerland, Italy, Germany, France and the UK, Tai-Chi (Tangible Acoustic Interfaces for Computer-Human Interaction) is a system that can transform any real object into a touch-sensitive computer interface. A computer is used to read values via piezoelectric sensors which are attached to the object. A recent paper from Design 2006 discusses the system in further detail:
Principally, there are two kinds of stimulation of physical objects: passive and active modes. In the passive mode any change in the acoustic properties of an object, due to its vibration as a consequence of interaction (knocking, tapping etc.), is detected and then used to estimate the location of the interaction. With regard to the active mode, the absorption of acoustic energy at the contact point of an object surface must be ascertained.
Currently there are three passive methods under investigation for tangible acoustic interfaces: time delay of arrival (TDOA), time reversal and acoustic holography.
The paper discusses the implementation of Acoustic Holography using the Rayleigh-Sommerfeld algorithm. The following is an audiovisual installation called Sound Rose using the Tai-Chi system.
A couple of examples of what we can expect from the Wiimote. Firstly a drum machine which uses two software programs from bobsomers. The user can play drums by flicking the Wiimote & pressing a button. The latest version of the GlovePIE program has support for multiple Wiimotes as well!
This second video shows a Wiimote controlling parameters on a Nord Lead by mapping the controller messages.
We’re looking forward to future developments and projects!
VoodooIO is a physical interface which can be constructed, adapted and modified in real-time using a collection of basic controls (Voodoo Pins). The controls are self-contained embedded devices that communicate with a computer via a substrate material, using Pin&Play technology. The controls have pin-like connectors to allow socketless attachment to the substrate material, which acts as a power supply and a network medium. The Voodoo Pins, such as buttons, switches, knobs, sliders and lights, can be positioned anywhere on the material.
VoodooIO adopts a vision of the physical interface as a malleable material that can be shaped and adapted, rather than a device with a predetermined form or prescribed use. The intention is to overcome the obstacles that prevent hardware interfaces from being as easily appropriable by users as graphical user interfaces (and software applications in general) have become, blurring the boundaries between interface developers, interaction designers and end-users.
A video example which was submitted to the SIGGRAPH ‘06 conference.
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