Enabling multi-point haptic grasping in virtual environments

Haptic interaction has received increasing research interest in recent years. Currently, most commercially available haptic devices provide the user with a single point of interaction. Multi-point haptic devices present a logical progression in device design and enable the operator to experience a far wider range of haptic interactions, particularly the ability to grasp via multiple fingers. This is highly desirable for various haptically enabled applications including virtual training, telesurgery and telemanipulation. This paper presents a gripper attachment which utilises two low-cost commercially available haptic devices to facilitate multi-point haptic grasping. It provides the ability to render forces to the user's fingers independently and using Phantom Omni haptic devices offers several benefits over more complex approaches such as low-cost, reliability, and ease of programming. The workspace of the gripper attachment is considered and in order to haptically render the desired forces to the user's fingers, kinematic analysis is discussed and necessary formulations presented. The integrated multi-point haptic platform is presented and exploration of a virtual environment using CHAI 3D is demonstrated.

Grasping virtual objects with multi-point haptics

The majority of commercially available haptic devices offer a single point of haptic interaction. These devices are limited when it is desirable to grasp with multiple fingers in applications including virtual training, telesurgery and telemanipulation. Multipoint haptic devices serve to facilitate a greater range of interactions. This paper presents a gripper attachment to enable multi-point haptic grasping in virtual environments. The approach employs two Phantom Omni haptic devices to independently render forces to the user's thumb and other fingers. Compared with more complex approaches to multi-point haptics, this approach provides a number of advantages including low-cost, reliability and ease of programming. The ability of the integrated multi-point haptic platform to interact within a CHAI 3D virtual environment is also presented.

The impact of self-efficacy and perceived system efficacy on effectiveness of virtual training systems

This study developed and tested a research model which examined the impact of user perceptions of self-efficacy (SE) and virtual environment (VE) efficacy on the effectiveness of VE training systems. The model distinguishes between the perceptions of one’s own capability to perform trained tasks effectively and the perceptions of system performance, regarding the established parameters from literature. Specifically, the model posits that user perceptions will have positive effects on task performance and memory. Seventy-six adults participated in a VE in a controlled experiment, designed to empirically test the model. Each participant performed a series of object assembly tasks. The task involved selecting, rotating, releasing, inserting and manipulating 3D objects. Initially, the results of factor analysis demonstrated dimensionality of two user perception measures and produced a set of empirical validated factors underlining the VE efficacy. The results of regression analysis revealed that SE had a significant positive effect on perceived VE efficacy. No significant effects were found of perceptions on performance and memory. Furthermore, the study provided insights into the relationships between the perception measures and performance measures for assessing the efficacy of VE training systems. The study also addressed how well users learn, perform, adapt to and perceive the VE training, which provides valuable insight into the system efficacy.
Research and practical implications are presented at the end of the paper.

The Virtualopolis archipelago: creatively interconnecting work-based virtual scenarios

One of the key elements of a quality student experience in higher education, outlined in the 2008 Bradley Report on the review of Australian higher education, is access to well-designed and engaging courses that lead to good vocational outcomes. 1 The Virtualopolis project concerns the development of a virtual city or platform which can encompass a community or vocational context for learning resources, linking these to engaging course delivery across disciplines and faculties. It is a virtual community with great potential to scaffold the imaginative immersion of the modem net generation learner. It was designed to incorporate virtual scenarios which were already in use, such as the country town of Bilby and the Pacific-style island of Newlandia, and has expanded to provide a virtual city of Virtualopolis across faculties and disciplines. One of the key strengths of this form of virtual environment is its capacity to focus on graduate attributes across disciplines. Virtualopolis provides access and a virtual city context to an interactive teamwork scenario, to develop attributes related to working with others, interrelating virtual business entities across all faculties. The teamwork scenario has multiple applications, with capacity to be a hurdle requirement, assessment item or training activity depending on the needs of the faculty's Work-integrated Leaming (WIL) policy. By developing the online virtual framework or platform of Virtualopolis, work-integrated team assessment can be used as skills preparation for experiential learning units such as internships, professional experience and workplace-based projects university-wide. It also provides the opportunity to repeatedly reuse the virtual city context for resources to support other courses. The Virtualopolis city and its interactive team scenario will be transferable for future cross-faculty and interdisciplinary virtual developments. Plans are already made for content areas as diverse as community health, nursing, creative arts, international relations and management.

Proceedings : 10th International Multimedia Modeling Conference : MMM 2004 : Brisbane, Australia, 5-7 January 2004

The International Multimedia Modelling conference series is an annual forum to discuss the efficient representation, processing, interaction, integration, communication, and retrieval of multimedia information.
In particular, the 10th International Multimedia Modelling Conference (MMM2004) concentrates on common modelling frameworks for integrating the diverse fields of visual, audio, video, and
virtual world information.
MMM2004 deals with emerging Multimedia Modelling topics including:
• Multimedia Databases
• Audio Processing, Coding and Encryption
• Network Games and Animation
• Video Applications
• Multimedia Frameworks and QoS
• Topological and 3D Geometric Modelling
• Image Applications
• Image Retrieval
• Modelling / Editing / Virtual Environment
• Video Retrieval and Browsing

Multimodality pedagogies : a multiliteracies approach

This paper draws on outcomes of a case study which explored changes in teachers' literacy pedagogies as a result of their participation in a purpose-driven teacher professional learning project. The teachers sought to develop classroom responses which were cognisant of multimodal shifts resulting from an increasingly digitised, networked communications environment. Recognising the powerful influence of the teacher on student outcomes, the study sought to investigate teacher learning as a means for influencing print-based literacy pedagogies to incorporate multimodality literacy practices. Four teachers engaged in participatory action research, researching their literacy pedagogies in light of the New London Group's multiliteracies theory (1996; 2000). Schemas derived from multiliteracies theory acted as stimuli for expanding teachers' multimodality pedagogies, consequently addressing disjunctures between multimodal and print-based literacies. Patterns in teachers' pedagogical choices are illustrated through the analytical use of the 'multimodal schema'.

Technologies in literacy learning : a case study

This article draws on outcomes of a study which explored changes in teachers’ literacy pedagogies as a result of their participation in a collaborative teacher professional learning project. The educational usability of schemas drawn from multiliteracies and Learning by Design theory is illustrated through a case study of a teacher’s work on website exploration and design with 8- to 11-year-olds. The teacher sought to develop pedagogical responses which were cognisant of multimodal shifts resulting from an increasingly digitised, networked communications environment. Engagement with the schemas influenced the teacher’s print-based literacy pedagogies to incorporate multimodal literacy practices.

Differentiating malware from cleanware using behavioural analysis

This paper proposes a scalable approach for distinguishing malicious files from clean files by investigating the behavioural features using logs of various API calls. We also propose, as an alternative to the traditional method of manually identifying malware files, an automated classification system using runtime features of malware files. For both projects, we use an automated tool running in a virtual environment to extract API call features from executables and apply pattern recognition algorithms and statistical methods to differentiate between files. Our experimental results, based on a dataset of 1368 malware and 456 cleanware files, provide an accuracy of over 97% in distinguishing malware from cleanware. Our techniques provide a similar accuracy for classifying malware into families. In both cases, our results outperform comparable previously published techniques.

A haptic platform to enable fingertip grasping and manipulation

Haptic technologies allow human users to haptically interact with virtual environments. Haptics has been employed in many application domains including operator training, virtual exploration and teleoperation. Currently, most commercially available haptic devices focus on a single point of haptic interaction. While single-point haptics have been successfully employed in many applications, they remain limited to particular types of haptic interaction. Multi-point haptic devices are a logical progression and facilitate a far wider range of interactions including object grasping, multi-finger object manipulation and size discrimination. The ability to effectively achieve such interactions offers significant benefits for many applications including virtual training, telesurgery and telemanipulation. In such applications, the ability to use multi-point haptic interactions can provide far more effective user interaction as well improved perception of the virtual environment.

Thermal and ventilation performance of a multifunctional sports hall within an aquatic centre

There has been an increasing demand for sports facilities in urban areas recently. As a result of this, more attention is drawn towards not only the energy performance of these building typologies, but also creating a healthy indoor environment for the users. This Study investigates the thermal and ventilation performance of a sports hall within an aquatic centre using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. IES Virtual Environment software was used to perform the simulations. A number of scenarios were tested by changing the position of extract fans as well as by incorporating natural ventilation strategies. A high level of discomfort was observed in the space. Better comfort condition was achieved by changing the location of exhaust fans ad openings. The results help to recommend some guidelines to inform the proposed refurbishment plans of the site.

Haptic microrobotic cell injection system

Microrobotic cell injection is the subject of increasing research interest. At present, an operator relies completely on visual information and can be subject to low success rates, poor repeatability, and extended training times. This paper focuses on increasing operator performance during cell injection in two ways. First, our completed haptic cell injection system aims to increase the operator's performance during real-time cell injection. Haptic bilateralism is investigated and a mapping framework provides an intuitive method for manoeuvring the micropipette in a manner similar to handheld needle insertion. Volumetric virtual fixtures are then introduced to haptically assist the operator to penetrate the cell at the desired location. The performance of the volumetric virtual fixtures is also discussed. Second, the haptically enabled cell injection system is replicated as a virtual environment facilitating virtual offline operator training. Virtual operator training utilizes the same mapping framework and haptic virtual fixtures as the physical system allowing the operator to train offline and then directly transfer their skills to real-time cell injection.

Augmented optometry training simulator with multi-point haptics

Training of optometrists is traditionally achieved under close supervision of peers and superiors. With the rapid advancement in technology, medical procedures are performed more efficiently and effectively, resulting in faster recovery times and less trauma to the patient. However, application of this technology has made it difficult to effectively demonstrate and teach these manual skills as the education is now a combination of not only the medical procedure but also the use of the technology. In this paper we propose to increase the training capabilities of optometry students through haptically-enabled single-point and multi-point training tools as well as augmented reality techniques. Haptics technology allows a human to touch and feel virtual computer models as though they are real. Through physical connection to the operator, haptic devices are considered to be personal robots that are capable of improving the human-computer interaction with a virtual environment. These devices have played an increasing role in developing expertise, reducing instances of medical error and reducing training costs. A haptically-enabled virtual training environment, integrated with an optometry slit lamp instrument can be used to teach cognitive and manual skills while the system tracks the performance of each individual. These interactions would ideally replicate every aspect of the real procedure, consequently preparing the trainee for every possible scenario, without risking the health of a real patient.

Instrumental vision

This chapter interrogates stereo-immersive ‘virtual reality’ (VR), the technology that enables a perceiver to experience what it is like to be immersed in a simulated environment. While the simulation is powered by the “geometry engine” (Cutting, 1997: 31) associated with high-end computer imaging technology, the visual experience itself is powered by ordinary human vision: the vision system’s innate capacity to see “in 3D”. To understand and critically appraise stereo-immersive VR, we should study not its purported ‘virtuality’, but its specific visuality, because the ‘reality’ of a so-called ‘virtual environment’ is afforded by the stereoacuity of binocular vision itself. By way of such a critique of the visuality of stereo-immersive VR, this chapter suggests that we think about the ‘practice’ of vision, and consider on what basis vision can have its own ‘materiality’. Pictorial perception is proposed as an exemplary visual mode in which the possibilities of perception might emerge. Against the ‘possibilities’ of vision associated with pictures, the visuality of stereo-immersive VR emerges as a harnessing, or ‘instrumentalisation’ of vision’s innate capabilities. James J. Gibson’s ‘ecological’ approach to vision studies is referenced to show the degree to which developers of VR have sought — and succeeded — to mimic the ‘realness’ of ordinary perceptual reality. This raises a question concerning whether the success of stereo-immersive VR is simultaneously the source of its own perceptual redundancy: for to bring into being the perceptual basis of ordinary ‘real’ reality, is to return the perceiver to what is already familiar and known.

Reproduction

"Reproduction" is a mixed reality installation that investigates the flow of data between the material world and synthetic worlds, in particular realtime 3D environments, through the creation of a persistent realtime 3D environment populated with agent entities that evolve over the duration of the exhibition in response to the actions of the human visitors to the 10 metre dome.