New DSI Multi-touch Table

A new Multi-touch Meeting table is currently being developed. Last week I received the Endlighten Acrylic from professional plastics. I also received the diffuser which is a Lee Filter 225 Natural Density Frost. This filter is used for projection and touch surfaces, The material is good as it is less susceptible to dirt and the surface is smoother for interaction. Here are images from the construction of the new table. More images can be view on my Flickr - www.flickr.com/photos/citphotography/

Papvervision 3D, Flash, Flex Tutorials

I am currently learning Papervision3D and Flex as they will primarily be the development tools I will use for the collaborative design planning application. I am looking at how to implement Papervision3D within Flex using an ActionScript project. I have also looked at exporting 3D models from C4d as collada(.dae) files. The collada files are supported by flash as a 3D model is specified as an XML file which contains the properties of the model.

Therefore I have been looking at

1. Developing 3D models files in Cinema 4D

2. Exporting them as Collada - .dae files

3. Implementing Papervision3D within Flex a actionscript project.

4. Getting Papervision3D to load in the collada .dae files

5. Applying Multi-touch interactivity to the 3D objects

I have found several useful tutorials online. Here are links to the tutorials -





http://www.madvertices.com/ - Papervison Tutorials

- Papervision 3D Core Training
- Advanced Materials
- Effects, Filters & Modifiers
- Animation
- Exercises:
- Random Tips & Info:
- Swift 3D Support:









http://www.tutcity.com/tutorial/papervision-3d-programming-tutorial-effects.17967.html

Flex / Actionscript development tutorials that shows you how to use the Papervision 3D engine to create 3D Flash effects such as changing materials on 3D models






http://wiki.nuigroup.com/Building_Your_First_Multi-Touch_Application_in_Flash
Flash Multi-touch Tutorials

- Building Your First Multi-touch Application
- Demo ready to go examples
- Flash forum









http://www.casadirocco.nl/2009/03/importing-cinema4d-model-into-papervision3d-20.html

- Importing Cinema4D model into Papervision 3D

Hardware Setup Tests

Since receiving my IR Ribbon Flex from environmental lights I have been testing some demo multi-touch applications. The next stage is to build casing and a frame for the the IR ribbon flex. I will also be purchasing a good projection screen such as rosco grey and a more complient touch surface such as sulky solvy.

Here are some photos from hardware testing.

Designing Gestural Interfaces

Developing preliminary interface and interaction designs over the last few weeks, I have created rough storyboards, and flowcharts illustrating how the interface should look and function. Research papers and books such as "Designing Gestural Interfaces" by Dan Saffer has informed me of the considerations when developing collaborative interfaces.

The book covers areas such as -

- Designing Interactive Gestures

- The Characteristics of Good Gestural Interfaces

- The Attributes of Gestures

- Interface Conventions

- Appropriate Gesture - Matching the Gesture to the behaviour

Below is some photos showing some of my storyboards and drawings.

VitruView App for Microsoft Surface

I was doing some research trying to find some multi-touch apps which focus on interaction with 3D environments and models. I came across a very interesting multi-touch app (VitruView) which was developed for Surface. It really is one of the most inspiring apps i have seen so far. VitruView was designed to help with angiography procedures in a catheter lab ? it is essentially a 3d multi-touch application for heart surgeries that persists data in Microsoft HealtVault. links below -

Video demo
http://silverlight.interknowlogy.com/Videos/VitruView/default.html


Interknowlogy homepage
http://www.interknowlogy.com/

Research

I am currently developing a paper prototype of a collaborative design planning application. Whilst developing my paper prototype I have been reading research papers which have enabled me to consider issues in relation to the interface design and interaction design. These research papers have investigated and analyzed how tabletop displays such as multi-touch platforms support collaborative work. I have therefore applied many of the design guidelines to my development. I have found related work by Stacey D. Scott et al very insightful. Listed below are a list of research papers which I have read by Stacey D. Scott. You can also check out my delicious research bookmarks here - http://delicious.com/project4


Scott, S., Grant, K., Carpendale, S., Inkpen, K., Mandryk, R., & Winograd, T. (2002). Co-located Tabletop Collaboration: Technologies and Directions. Workshop at CSCW 2002, in Extended Abstracts of the ACM Conference on Computer-Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW)'02, November 16-20, 2002, New Orleans, LA, USA. (Workshop Webpage)

Inkpen, K., Mandryk, R., Scott, S., Greenberg, S., & Zanella, A. (2000). Shared Environments to Support Face-to-Face Collaboration. Workshop at CSCW 2000: In Conference Supplement of the ACM Conference on Computer-Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW)'00, Dec. 2-6, 2000, Philadelphia, PA, USA. (Workshop Webpage)

Scott, S.D. & Carpendale, S. (2006). Investigating Tabletop Territoriality in Digital Tabletop Workspaces, Technical Report 2006-836-29, Department of Computer Science, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.

Scott, S.D., Carpendale, M.S.T., & Inkpen, K.M. (2004). Exploring Casual Tabletop Interactions. Technical Report 2004-742-07. Department of Computer Science, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.

Scott, Stacey D. (2005). Territoriality in Collaborative Tabletop Workspaces. Ph.D. Dissertation, Department of Computer Science, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Defended March 2005.

Diffused Illumination

Here are images from my first multi-touch table which was based on a Diffused Illumination setup. I also bulit an application in Flash coding in AS3. It is an elearning application where users navigate a multi-touch lab (3D environment).





To progress to different areas of the lab they have to accomplish a multi-touch task such as learning a new gesture(rotate, drag, scale). Throughout the tour of the multi-touch lab they also learn about the development of multi-touch technology