Human Computer Interaction. Multi-Touch Video Wall

Human Computer Interaction, (2007) Michael Lew

The development of a hybrid and sound system for device free interaction with software running on a large display wall has been in continual progression. Daniel Stedle is one of the leading developers in the Computer Science department at the University of Tromso. The system that he’s created consists of three components that together allows for interaction with both distal and proximal targets:

1. The camera determines the direction in which the user is pointing allowing distal targets to be selected.
2. Using four microphones, a user double snapping his fingers is detected and located.
3. 16 cameras detect objects (fingers, hands) in front of the display wall. The ID position of detected enabling touch-free multi-point interaction with proximal content.

Display walls invite users to stand in front of them. To use mice and keyboards in this the users must carry them around. Mice’s often require flat surfaces to be used, and the accuracy when trying to hit small or distal target becomes an issue. Ideally users shouldn’t need devices to interact with any applications running on the wall.

When an object is visible from at least three cameras as it interests a plane parallel to the display wall canvas, its position can be determined using triangulation. Multiple objects can be detected and positioned simultaneously enabling touch free multi-point multi-user interaction. It is referred to as touch free as the user does not actually have to touch the display wall in order to interact with it.



This concept is exactly along the lines that I am looking for- the hybrid of the visual technology along with the sound really allows for an immersive experience.

One of the main problems that I have found when looking at the projector based installations- the movements tend to be on a larger scale, this means that smaller interactions- cannot be detected so easily. With the technology of the Multi-Touch Video Wall it will allow for much greater degree of control than normal projector based technology.

Terms

Distal- Away from the point of attachment or origin.

Proximal- nearer to the body, or to the base of an appendage.

Hough transform- is a feature extraction technique used in image analysis, computer vision, and digital image processing.