The Actuated Workbench: 2D Actuation in Tabletop Tangible Interfaces

108 Pages·2003·4.42 MB·English

The Actuated Workbench:
2D Actuation in Tabletop Tangible Interfaces
Gian Antonio Pangaro
B.A. Sociology 1999
Harvard University
Submitted to the Department of Media Arts and Sciences,
School of Architecture and Planning,
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Master of Science in Media Arts and Sciences at the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
September 2003
(cid:211)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2003.
All Rights Reserved.
Author
Gian Pangaro
Program in Media Arts and Sciences
09 May 2003
Certified by
Hiroshi Ishii
Associate Professor of Media Arts and Sciences
Thesis Supervisor
Accepted by
Andy Lippman
Chair, Departmental Committee on Graduate Studies
Program in Media Arts and Sciences
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The Actuated Workbench:
2D Actuation in Tabletop Tangible Interfaces
Gian Antonio Pangaro
B.A. Sociology
Harvard University 1999
Submitted to the Department of Media Arts and Sciences,
School of Architecture and Planning,
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Master of Science in Media Arts and Sciences at the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
September 2003
Abstract
The Actuated Workbench is a new actuation mechanism that
uses magnetic forces to control the two-dimensional move-
ment of physical objects on flat surfaces. This mechanism is
intended for use with existing tabletop Tangible User Inter-
faces, providing computer-controlled movement of the physi-
cal objects on the table, and creating an additional feedback
layer for Human Computer Interaction (HCI). Use of this actu-
ation technique makes possible new kinds of physical inter-
actions with tabletop interfaces, and allows the computer to
maintain consistency between the physical and digital states
of data objects in the interface. This thesis focuses on the
design and implementation of the actuation mechanism as an
enabling technology, introduces new techniques for motion
control, and discusses practical and theoretical implications
of computer-controlled movement of physical objects in table-
top tangible interfaces.
Thesis Supervisor: Hiroshi Ishii
Title: Associate Professor of Media Arts and Sciences
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The Actuated Workbench:
2D Actuation in Tabletop Tangible Interfaces
Gian Antonio Pangaro
Thesis Comittee:
Thesis Supervisor
Hiroshi Ishii
Associate Professor of Media Arts and Sciences
MIT Media Lab
Thesis Reader
Robert Jacob
Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Tufts University
Thesis Reader
Joe Paradiso
Associate Professor of Media Arts and Sciences
MIT Media Lab
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Acknowledgements
I am forever grateful to the following people for being in my life
during the past few years. Without them, this work might not have
been possible.
For their love and support:
Stacy Abder
Anthony Pangaro
Geraldine Pangaro
For their intellectual guidance, enthusiasm, and inspiration:
Jason Alonso
Dan Chak
Chris Csikszentmihalyi
Rich Fletcher
Hiroshi Ishii
Rob Jacob
John Maeda
Dan Maynes-Aminzade
Joe Paradiso
Amanda Parkes
James Patten
Hayes Raffle
Nancy Sun
Brygg Ullmer
Bill Verplank
For their friendship, music, and good advice:
John Capello
Andy Eggers
Scott Roy
Altay Guvench
Mike Annany
danah boyd
Daneil Giffin
Shane Hamilton
Saoirse Higgins
Ryan McKinley
Cliff Murphy
Mary Oey
Phua Mei Pin
Ali Rahimi
Lily Shirvanee
Doug Swett
Jessica Tardy
Noam Weinstein
Pierce Woodward
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Table Of Contents
Prefatory Material
Cover
Abstract
Thesis Committee
Acknowledgements
1. Introduction 11
1.1 Tabletop Tangible Interfaces
1.2 Thesis Goal
2. Theory: Space, Movement, and Haptics for Input Devices 15
3. Related Technologies 1: Tabletop Tracking Technologies 20
4. TUI Inconsistency and Input Device Design 24
4.1 TUI Interactions that can lead to Inconsistencies
4.2 Haptic Input Devices as Physical Output for Digital Media
5. Related Technologies 2: Tabletop Actuation Technologies 33
6. Design and Development 40
6.1 Design Criteria
6.2 Final Design Scheme
7. Technical Details 44
7.1 System Description
7.2 Motion Control and Interpolation
8. Evaluation 58
8.1 Original Design Criteria
8.2 Design Limitations
8.3 User Testing
9. Applications for the Actuated Workbench 64
9.1 Basic GUI Functions
9.2 High-Level Tabletop Interactions
9.3 Haptic applications
10. Future Development 74
10.1 Tiling of Arrays for Larger Surfaces
10.2 New Types of Motion
11. Conclusion 78
Appendix A.
Explanation of Electromagnetic Array 82
Appendix B.
Limitations of SaJe microcontroller 85
Appendix C.
Other Actuation Technologies 87
Appendix D.
Schematics 89
Appendix E.
Microcontroller Code 95
References 103
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