Honours projects 2009

Projects supervised by Masa Takatsuka and HxI [braccetto] Initiative (NICTA/CSIRO/DSTO)

Hand Recognition as input device for single and multi user applications
An existing project at the ViSLAB has investigated image processing to identify a hand in front of a computer screen. We would like to continue this project and build a prototype input system using the existing work. This will allow us to explore new possibilities for near-screen interaction techniques.

This project would involve:

• investigating changes required to the image processing system to make it useable in a real-world setting, including the ability to identify gestures and ways of improving the usability of the system.
• building a mouse driver capable of taking data from the hand recognition software and turning it into position information.
• Investigating changes necessary for the recognition system to work in the context of multi user input
• Exploring implications for near screen interaction

Making Multi-User applications work
Exciting new technologies are emerging that support new forms of shared and multi-point interactions, for example Diamond Touch table. While new applications can be developed specifically to exploit these multi touch interaction capabilities, it is less clear how they work effectively with existing legacy applications that are designed for single user input. When dealing with legacy applications using multi person interaction, some sort of floor control is required, where the input from the various users is managed before it reaches the application. This project is aimed at exploring the different ways to manage floor control effectively for multi-person input in legacy applications.

The project will build on the Multi-Point XServer (MPX) which allows multiple users to interact with a Linux desktop. The MPX software provides multi-point capabilities for legacy applications but needs to be extended to better support mechanisms for floor control. We are interested in the what mechanisms are appropriate for different types of applications and interactions, in particular what is needed to make 3D applications work for multiple users.

This project will implement software on top of MPX that will control the user input such as dragging, clicking, scrolling and alter it to make sense in the context of multiple users.

Multi-User User Interface widgets
User interface widgets are designed for a single user. Environments such as the Multi-Point XServer (MPX) allows multiple users to interact with a desktop, however the user interface of applications are not properly designed to support multiple users. This project will investigate ways of altering existing UI widgets, and developing new ones, that can be used in the development of new applications support multiple users.

Making Remote Connection Easier
We constantly have to connect to remote services and this often involves memorising an address of a remote server that we want to connect to. In order to make this process simpler and seamless we want to investigate new ways to initiate remote connections. Whether it be via software through some sort of buddy list, or whether it is through a tangible device or token, we want to make connection easier. Our ultimate aim of this project is to make the transition from working at your desk in an office, to working in different workspaces where remote collaboration can take place.