Human-computer interfaces belong to one of two types, tangible (touchable) and intangible (or non-touchable, such as audio or video).
The vast majority of input interfaces are tangible. Currently, such tangible interfaces include keypads, mice and touch screens, which are
the three most important forms of tangible interface. A common problem with these devices is that they restrict the mobility of users,
constraining them to be in certain locations during interaction with the computer. Lack of robustness is another disadvantage of existing
tangible interfacing devices, limiting their areas of application.
Vision
This project explores how physical objects, augmented surfaces and spaces can be transformed into tangible-acoustic embodiments of
natural seamless unrestricted interfaces. The ultimate goal is to design
Tangible Acoustic Interfaces (TAI) that employ physical objects and
space as media to bridge the gap between the virtual and physical worlds and to make information accessible through large size touchable
objects as well as through ambient media.
The method that will be developed is based on the principle that interacting with a physical object modifies its surface acoustic patterns, due
for instance to the generation of acoustic
vibrations (passive method) or the absorption of acoustic
energy (active method) at the points of
contact. By visualising and characterising such acoustic patterns,
it will be possible to transform almost anything (for example, a wall, window,
table top or arbitrary 3D object) into an interactive interface (a giant flat or 3D touch screen), opening up new modes of computer-user
interaction for responsive environments. Because of their numerous advantages over other methods, including the spatial freedom they
provide to the user, the robustness with which they can be constructed and the ease of accommodating multiple users simultaneously,
acoustics-based interfaces will become a major sensing paradigm in the future, implying enormous potential for the whole computer and
information industry.
Objectives
The main goal of the project is to develop acoustics-based remote sensing technologies which can be adapted to virtually any physical object
to create tangible interfaces, allowing the user to communicate more freely with a computer, an interactive system or the cyber-world. The first
objective of the project will be to evaluate different technologies for the characterisation of acoustic propagation patterns and the positioning
of acoustic sources in various media. The
Tai-Chi project will also target the following specific objectives:
research into acoustic transmission
behaviours in various media, development of
novel acoustic transducers for various application scenarios, development of
acoustic signal processing algorithms and establishment of
intelligent tangible interfaces.
APPLICATION EXAMPLES OF TAI
The possibilities for acoustic interactive interfaces are virtually unlimited. Here are some examples of their potential applications:
- Low cost desktop PC and video-games acoustic interfaces.
- “Invisible mouse” (the user moves his finger directly on the surface of the table).
- Large scale interactive screens for academic presentations or educational purposes.
- Interactive windows in shops or public services.
- Interactive interfaces for spectators (visitors to museums, information centres, and exhibitions).
- Part of the interactive environment of Virtual Reality.
- Sensitive skin for robots and sensitive surfaces in multi-transducery environments.
- Interactive interfaces for security systems (interactive doors, windows, walls and floors).
- Robust interactive screens used in harsh conditions, for instance, underwater, open fields, high/low temperature environments,
and public environments.
- Robust touch sensitive surfaces for industrial condition monitoring, for instance automatic counting and positioning of objects.
- Novel interactive artistic interfaces (interactive painting, photographs and sculptures).
- Novel musical instruments.
PARTICIPANTS
| Participant Role | Participant Name | Country |
|---|
| CO | Cardiff University | UK |
| CR | Centre for Engineering and Technology Transfers (CeTT) | Switzerland |
| CR | DIST-University of Genoa | Italy |
| CR | Laboratoire Ondes et Acoustique | France |
| CR | Technical University of Clausthal (TUC) | Germany |
| CR | University of Birmingham | UK |
| CR | Politecnico di Milano | Italy |
CO = Coordinator
CR = Contractor
Tai-Chi Web link: www.taichi.cf.ac.uk
