The MADE-Axis

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (ISS) ◽  
pp. 1-23
Author(s):  
Jim Smiley ◽  
Benjamin Lee ◽  
Siddhant Tandon ◽  
Maxime Cordeil ◽  
Lonni Besançon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ad Hoc ◽  
User Study ◽  
Visual Analysis ◽  
Haptic Feedback ◽  
Mixed Reality ◽  
Interaction Space ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Data Representations ◽  
Free Interaction ◽  
Emergent Design

Tangible controls-especially sliders and rotary knobs-have been explored in a wide range of interactive applications for desktop and immersive environments. Studies have shown that they support greater precision and provide proprioceptive benefits, such as support for eyes-free interaction. However, such controls tend to be expressly designed for specific applications. We draw inspiration from a bespoke controller for immersive data visualisation, but decompose this design into a simple, wireless, composable unit featuring two actuated sliders and a rotary encoder. Through these controller units, we explore the interaction opportunities around actuated sliders; supporting precise selection, infinite scrolling, adaptive data representations, and rich haptic feedback; all within a mode-less interaction space. We demonstrate the controllers' use for simple, ad hoc desktop interaction,before moving on to more complex, multi-dimensional interactions in VR and AR. We show that the flexibility and composability of these actuated controllers provides an emergent design space which covers the range of interactive dynamics for visual analysis. In a user study involving pairs performing collaborative visual analysis tasks in mixed-reality, our participants were able to easily compose rich visualisations, make insights and discuss their findings.

scholarly journals Multimodal Mixed Reality Impact on a Hand Guiding Task with a Holographic Cobot

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 78
Author(s):  
Andoni Rivera Pinto ◽  
Johan Kildal ◽  
Elena Lazkano
Keyword(s):  
Augmented Reality ◽  
Industrial Production ◽  
User Study ◽  
Haptic Feedback ◽  
Mixed Reality ◽  
Robot Arm ◽  
Pick And Place ◽  
Place Task ◽  
Guidance Technique ◽  
The Impact

In the context of industrial production, a worker that wants to program a robot using the hand-guidance technique needs that the robot is available to be programmed and not in operation. This means that production with that robot is stopped during that time. A way around this constraint is to perform the same manual guidance steps on a holographic representation of the digital twin of the robot, using augmented reality technologies. However, this presents the limitation of a lack of tangibility of the visual holograms that the user tries to grab. We present an interface in which some of the tangibility is provided through ultrasound-based mid-air haptics actuation. We report a user study that evaluates the impact that the presence of such haptic feedback may have on a pick-and-place task of the wrist of a holographic robot arm which we found to be beneficial.

scholarly journals Interactive Visualization of Molecular Dynamics Simulation Data

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Naif Alharbi
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Dynamics ◽  
Protein Interaction ◽  
User Study ◽  
Visual Analysis ◽  
Interaction Space ◽  
Time Dependent ◽  
Dynamics Simulation ◽  
Simulation Data ◽  
Protein Protein Interaction ◽  
Lipid Interaction

Molecular Dynamics Simulations (MD) plays an essential role in the field of computational biology. The simulations produce extensive high-dimensional, spatio-temporal data describ-ing the motion of atoms and molecules. A central challenge in the field is the extraction and visualization of useful behavioral patterns from these simulations. Throughout this thesis, I collaborated with a computational biologist who works on Molecular Dynamics (MD) Simu-lation data. For the sake of exploration, I was provided with a large and complex membrane simulation. I contributed solutions to his data challenges by developing a set of novel visual-ization tools to help him get a better understanding of his simulation data. I employed both scientific and information visualization, and applied concepts of abstraction and dimensions projection in the proposed solutions. The first solution enables the user to interactively fil-ter and highlight dynamic and complex trajectory constituted by motions of molecules. The molecular dynamic trajectories are identified based on path length, edge length, curvature, and normalized curvature, and their combinations. The tool exploits new interactive visual-ization techniques and provides a combination of 2D-3D path rendering in a dual dimension representation to highlight differences arising from the 2D projection on a plane. The sec-ond solution introduces a novel abstract interaction space for Protein-Lipid interaction. The proposed solution addresses the challenge of visualizing complex, time-dependent interactions between protein and lipid molecules. It also proposes a fast GPU-based implementation that maps lipid-constituents involved in the interaction onto the abstract protein interaction space. I also introduced two abstract level-of-detail (LoD) representations with six levels of detail for lipid molecules and protein interaction. Finally, I proposed a novel framework consisting of four linked views: A time-dependent 3D view, a novel hybrid view, a clustering timeline, and a details-on-demand window. The framework exploits abstraction and projection to enable the user to study the molecular interaction and the behavior of the protein-protein interaction and clusters. I introduced a selection of visual designs to convey the behavior of protein-lipid interaction and protein-protein interaction through a unified coordinate system. Abstraction is used to present proteins in hybrid 2D space, and a projected tiled space is used to present both Protein-Lipid Interaction (PLI) and Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) at the particle level in a heat-map style visual design. Glyphs are used to represent PPI at the molecular level. I coupled visually separable visual designs in a unified coordinate space. The result lets the user study both PLI and PPI separately, or together in a unified visual analysis framework.

Comparative Effects of High-Tech Visual Scene Displays and Low-Tech Isolated Picture Symbols on Engagement From Students With Multiple Disabilities

2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 693-702 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Holyfield ◽  
Sydney Brooks ◽  
Allison Schluterman
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Augmentative And Alternative Communication ◽  
Visual Analysis ◽  
Multiple Disabilities ◽  
Visual Scene ◽  
Future Research ◽  
High Tech ◽  
Single Subject ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Difference

Purpose Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) is an intervention approach that can promote communication and language in children with multiple disabilities who are beginning communicators. While a wide range of AAC technologies are available, little is known about the comparative effects of specific technology options. Given that engagement can be low for beginning communicators with multiple disabilities, the current study provides initial information about the comparative effects of 2 AAC technology options—high-tech visual scene displays (VSDs) and low-tech isolated picture symbols—on engagement. Method Three elementary-age beginning communicators with multiple disabilities participated. The study used a single-subject, alternating treatment design with each technology serving as a condition. Participants interacted with their school speech-language pathologists using each of the 2 technologies across 5 sessions in a block randomized order. Results According to visual analysis and nonoverlap of all pairs calculations, all 3 participants demonstrated more engagement with the high-tech VSDs than the low-tech isolated picture symbols as measured by their seconds of gaze toward each technology option. Despite the difference in engagement observed, there was no clear difference across the 2 conditions in engagement toward the communication partner or use of the AAC. Conclusions Clinicians can consider measuring engagement when evaluating AAC technology options for children with multiple disabilities and should consider evaluating high-tech VSDs as 1 technology option for them. Future research must explore the extent to which differences in engagement to particular AAC technologies result in differences in communication and language learning over time as might be expected.

scholarly journals Improved Mutual Understanding for Human-Robot Collaboration: Combining Human-Aware Motion Planning with Haptic Feedback Devices for Communicating Planned Trajectory

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (11) ◽  
pp. 3673
Author(s):  
Stefan Grushko ◽  
Aleš Vysocký ◽  
Petr Oščádal ◽  
Michal Vocetka ◽  
Petr Novák ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
User Study ◽  
Haptic Feedback ◽  
Fundamental Aspect ◽  
Task Completion ◽  
Good Efficiency ◽  
Notification System ◽  
Movement Data ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Machine Interface ◽  
High Degree

In a collaborative scenario, the communication between humans and robots is a fundamental aspect to achieve good efficiency and ergonomics in the task execution. A lot of research has been made related to enabling a robot system to understand and predict human behaviour, allowing the robot to adapt its motion to avoid collisions with human workers. Assuming the production task has a high degree of variability, the robot’s movements can be difficult to predict, leading to a feeling of anxiety in the worker when the robot changes its trajectory and approaches since the worker has no information about the planned movement of the robot. Additionally, without information about the robot’s movement, the human worker cannot effectively plan own activity without forcing the robot to constantly replan its movement. We propose a novel approach to communicating the robot’s intentions to a human worker. The improvement to the collaboration is presented by introducing haptic feedback devices, whose task is to notify the human worker about the currently planned robot’s trajectory and changes in its status. In order to verify the effectiveness of the developed human-machine interface in the conditions of a shared collaborative workspace, a user study was designed and conducted among 16 participants, whose objective was to accurately recognise the goal position of the robot during its movement. Data collected during the experiment included both objective and subjective parameters. Statistically significant results of the experiment indicated that all the participants could improve their task completion time by over 45% and generally were more subjectively satisfied when completing the task with equipped haptic feedback devices. The results also suggest the usefulness of the developed notification system since it improved users’ awareness about the motion plan of the robot.

scholarly journals The Cryptographic Complexity of Anonymous Coins: A Systematic Exploration

Cryptography ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 10
Author(s):  
Niluka Amarasinghe ◽  
Xavier Boyen ◽  
Matthew McKague
Keyword(s):  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Significant Rise ◽  
Security Models ◽  
Systematic Exploration ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Distributed Transaction ◽  
Common Framework

The modern financial world has seen a significant rise in the use of cryptocurrencies in recent years, partly due to the convincing lure of anonymity promised by these schemes. Bitcoin, despite being considered as the most widespread among all, is claimed to have significant lapses in relation to its anonymity. Unfortunately, studies have shown that many cryptocurrency transactions can be traced back to their corresponding participants through the analysis of publicly available data, to which the cryptographic community has responded by proposing new constructions with improved anonymity claims. Nevertheless, the absence of a common metric for evaluating the level of anonymity achieved by these schemes has led to numerous disparate ad hoc anonymity definitions, making comparisons difficult. The multitude of these notions also hints at the surprising complexity of the overall anonymity landscape. In this study, we introduce such a common framework to evaluate the nature and extent of anonymity in (crypto) currencies and distributed transaction systems, thereby enabling one to make meaningful comparisons irrespective of their implementation. Accordingly, our work lays the foundation for formalizing security models and terminology across a wide range of anonymity notions referenced in the literature, while showing how “anonymity” itself is a surprisingly nuanced concept, as opposed to existing claims that are drawn upon at a higher level, thus missing out on the elemental factors underpinning anonymity.

User-Generated Video Composition Based on Device Context Measurements

2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (01) ◽  
pp. 65-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Denny Stohr ◽  
Iva Toteva ◽  
Stefan Wilk ◽  
Wolfgang Effelsberg ◽  
Ralf Steinmetz
Keyword(s):  
User Study ◽  
Visual Analysis ◽  
User Behavior ◽  
Context Aware ◽  
Video Streams ◽  
Video Composition ◽  
Video Recordings ◽  
Quality Aspects ◽  
Monitoring Service ◽  
View Change

Instant sharing of user-generated video recordings has become a widely used service on platforms such as YouNow, Facebook.Live or uStream. Yet, providing such services with a high QoE for viewers is still challenging, given that mobile upload speed and capacities are limited, and the recording quality on mobile devices greatly depends on the users’ capabilities. One proposed solution to address these issues is video composition. It allows to switch between multiple recorded video streams, selecting the best source at any given time, for composing a live video with a better overall quality for the viewers. Previous approaches have required an in-depth visual analysis of the video streams, which usually limited the scalability of these systems. In contrast, our work allows the stream selection to be realized solely on context information, based on video- and service-quality aspects from sensor and network measurements. The implemented monitoring service for a context-aware upload of video streams is evaluated in different network conditions, with diverse user behavior, including camera shaking and user mobility. We have evaluated the system’s performance based on two studies. First, in a user study, we show that a higher efficiency for the video upload as well as a better QoE for viewers can be achieved when using our proposed system. Second, by examining the overall delay for the switching between streams based on sensor readings, we show that a composition view change can efficiently be achieved in approximately four seconds.

Quantitative Content Analysis of the United Nations Seabed Debate: Methodology and a Continental Shelf Case Study

1970 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 479-502 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. L. Friedheim ◽  
J. B. Kadane
Keyword(s):  
United Nations ◽  
Continental Shelf ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Mineral Resources ◽  
Outer Edge ◽  
General Assembly ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The United Nations

International arrangements for the uses of the ocean have been the subject of long debate within the United Nations since a speech made by Ambassador Arvid Pardo of Malta before the General Assembly in 1967. Issues in question include the method of delimiting the outer edge of the legal continental shelf; the spectrum of ocean arms control possibilities; proposals to create a declaration of principles governing the exploration for, and the exploitation of, seabed mineral resources with the promise that exploitation take place only if it “benefits mankind as a whole,” especially the developing states; and consideration of schemes to create international machinery to regulate, license, or own the resources of the seabed and subsoil. The discussions and debates began in the First (Political and Security) Committee of the 22nd General Assembly and proceeded through an ad hoc committee to the 23rd and 24th assembly plenary sessions. The creation of a permanent committee on the seabed as a part of the General Assembly's machinery attests to the importance members of the United Nations attribute to ocean problems. Having established the committee, they will be faced soon with the necessity of reaching decisions. The 24th General Assembly, for example, passed a resolution requesting the Secretary-General to ascertain members' attitudes on the convening of a new international conference to deal with a wide range of law of the sea problems.

Virtual Tissue Cutting With Haptic Feedback Using a Hybrid Actuator With DC Servomotor and Magnetorheological Brake

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Berk Gonenc ◽  
Hakan Gurocak
Keyword(s):  
Haptic Feedback ◽  
Fast Response ◽  
Virtual Training ◽  
Tissue Properties ◽  
Tissue Cutting ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Force Profile ◽  
Rat Tissue ◽  
Dc Servomotor ◽  
Hybrid Actuator

Surgical training is an important and recent application where haptic interfaces are used to enhance the realism of virtual training simulators. Tissue cutting with surgical scissors is a common interaction mode in the simulations. The haptic interface needs to render a wide range of tissue properties and resistance forces accurately. In this research, we developed a hybrid haptic device made of a DC servomotor and a magnetorheological (MR) brake. The motor can provide fast dynamic response and compensate for inertia and friction effects of the device. But alone, it cannot supply high force levels and the sensation of stiff interaction with hard tissues such as tendons. On the other hand, the MR-brake can provide very stiff interaction forces yet cannot reflect fast dynamics that are encountered as the virtual scissors go through the tissue. The hybrid actuator developed in this work combines the two based on a control scheme that decomposes the actuator command signal into two branches considering each actuator's capabilities. It is implemented on a compact single degree-of-freedom (DOF) interface to simulate virtual tissue cutting with three different scissor types (Mayo, Metzenbaum, Iris) and four types of rat tissue (liver, muscle, skin, tendon). Results have shown close tracking of the desired force profile in all cases. Compared to just using a DC motor, the hybrid actuator provided a wider range of forces (up to 18 N) with fast response to render quick force variations without any instability for all simulated tissue and scissor types.

scholarly journals Attention Enhancement for Exoskeleton-Assisted Hand Rehabilitation Using Fingertip Haptic Stimulation

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Min Li ◽  
Jiazhou Chen ◽  
Guoying He ◽  
Lei Cui ◽  
Chaoyang Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
User Study ◽  
Haptic Feedback ◽  
Human Subjects ◽  
Control Process ◽  
Water System ◽  
Recording Device ◽  
Hand Rehabilitation ◽  
Healthy Human ◽  
Hand Motion ◽  
Haptic Stimulation

Active enrollment in rehabilitation training yields better treatment outcomes. This paper introduces an exoskeleton-assisted hand rehabilitation system. It is the first attempt to combine fingertip cutaneous haptic stimulation with exoskeleton-assisted hand rehabilitation for training participation enhancement. For the first time, soft material 3D printing techniques are adopted to make soft pneumatic fingertip haptic feedback actuators to achieve cheaper and faster iterations of prototype designs with consistent quality. The fingertip haptic stimulation is synchronized with the motion of our hand exoskeleton. The contact force of the fingertips resulted from a virtual interaction with a glass of water was based on data collected from normal hand motions to grasp a glass of water. System characterization experiments were conducted and exoskeleton-assisted hand motion with and without the fingertip cutaneous haptic stimulation were compared in an experiment involving healthy human subjects. Users’ attention levels were monitored in the motion control process using a Brainlink EEG-recording device and software. The results of characterization experiments show that our created haptic actuators are lightweight (6.8 ± 0.23 g each with a PLA fixture and Velcro) and their performance is consistent and stable with small hysteresis. The user study experimental results show that participants had significantly higher attention levels with additional haptic stimulations compared to when only the exoskeleton was deployed; heavier stimulated grasping weight (a 300 g glass) was associated with significantly higher attention levels of the participants compared to when lighter stimulated grasping weight (a 150 g glass) was applied. We conclude that haptic stimulations increase the involvement level of human subjects during exoskeleton-assisted hand exercises. Potentially, the proposed exoskeleton-assisted hand rehabilitation with fingertip stimulation may better attract user’s attention during treatment.

scholarly journals A Systematic Survey on Deep Generative Models for Graph Generation

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaojie Guo ◽  
Liang Zhao
Keyword(s):  
Generative Models ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Specific Domain ◽  
Research Directions ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Data Representations ◽  
Future Research Directions ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Rich History ◽  
Graph Generation

Graphs are important data representations for describing objects and their relationships, which appear in a wide diversity of real-world scenarios. As one of a critical problem in this area, graph generation considers learning the distributions of given graphs and generating more novel graphs. Owing to its wide range of applications, generative models for graphs have a rich history, which, however, are traditionally hand-crafted and only capable of modeling a few statistical properties of graphs. Recent advances in deep generative models for graph generation is an important step towards improving the fidelity of generated graphs and paves the way for new kinds of applications. This article provides an extensive overview of the literature in the field of deep generative models for graph generation. Firstly, the formal definition of deep generative models for the graph generation as well as preliminary knowledge is provided. Secondly, two taxonomies of deep generative models for unconditional, and conditional graph generation respectively are proposed; the existing works of each are compared and analyzed. After that, an overview of the evaluation metrics in this specific domain is provided. Finally, the applications that deep graph generation enables are summarized and five promising future research directions are highlighted.

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