Mirror-Based Tele-Immersive Workspace for Multi-User 3D Interaction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional tele-immersive collaboration systems are limited in accommodating multiple participants, lack a suitable mechanism for monitoring appearance, and do not effectively support shared workspaces for manipulating virtual objects, with the window metaphor being restrictive and unnatural.
Innovation Solution
A tele-immersive environment using a mirror metaphor, where each participant's local set-up includes mirror functionality to create a three-dimensional virtual space, allowing multiple participants to appear as if they are at the same location, with the option to manipulate virtual objects and display physical objects, using either a physical semi-transparent mirror or a simulated one, and enabling joint interaction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a window metaphor is used in tele-immersive systems, then two participants can interact, but the system cannot accommodate more than two participants
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional window metaphor by using a mirror metaphor instead. In the mirror metaphor, participants look at themselves and others in a shared virtual space reflected in a mirror, rather than looking through a window at remote participants. This inversion allows any number of participants to be accommodated simultaneously in the reflected virtual space, resolving the limitation of the two-participant window metaphor.
2Ease of operation
If a window metaphor is used, then participants can view each other, but manipulating virtual objects in a shared workspace becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The mirror metaphor inverts the viewing relationship by showing participants their own reflections and others' reflections in a shared virtual space. This creates a natural common ground where virtual objects can be manipulated collaboratively, as all participants see the same reflected workspace from their respective positions, enabling intuitive virtual object manipulation that was difficult in the window metaphor.
Solution Approach 2:
The mirror acts as an intermediary that reflects and combines multiple participants' views into a shared virtual space. This intermediary mechanism enables natural collaboration on virtual objects by providing a common reflected workspace that all participants can interact with simultaneously, rather than requiring complex window-based coordination.
3Loss of information
If a small picture is shown in the peripheral region to display local participant's appearance, then remote participants can see the local participant, but the local participant finds it distracting and unnatural
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of showing a small peripheral picture of the local participant as in conventional systems, the mirror metaphor inverts this by showing the local participant their own full-size reflection in the mirror, just as they would see themselves in a real mirror. This natural self-viewing experience eliminates the distraction and unnaturalness of small peripheral displays while still providing appearance monitoring.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution allows for a scalable, natural, and intuitive tele-immersive experience that accommodates multiple participants, provides a clear view of one's appearance to others, and facilitates easy manipulation of virtual objects within a shared workspace.
Implementation Method 1
a physical semi-transparent mirror placed in front of a display device. The semi-transparent mirror presents a virtual image of the local participant
Data Source
AI summary
A tele-immersive environment is described that provides interaction among participants of a tele-immersive session. The environment includes two or more set-ups, each associated with a participant. Each set-up, in turn, includes mirror functionality for presenting a three-dimensional virtual space for viewing by a local participant. The virtual space shows at least some of the participants as if the participants were physically present at a same location and looking into a mirror. The mirror functionality can be implemented as a combination of a semi-transparent mirror and a display device, or just a display device acting alone. According to another feature, the environment may present a virtual object in a manner that allows any of the participants of the tele-immersive session to interact with the virtual object.