Toddler's Twittering

A prototype device, Twoddler, allows toddlers to tweet. The device looks a lot like a baby's activity board, except that it has presumably user-inserted pictures on it. If the child plays with a picture long enough, the board sends a predetermined tweet to that person. Twoddler also allows users to press buttons and turn knobs on their Twoddler and make other Twoddler light up and play sounds.

Mostly, this seems like a useless toy. I doubt the child is going to have any idea that they are communicating when they play with the pictures. Possibly, the Twoddler to Twoddler communication could be popular among young children, but I'm not sure that they would realize that their actions influenced their friends board, especially if they are not close together.

Moving Keyboard

One of the problems with using only multitouch interfaces is that typing is difficult. Since multitouch screens don't have physical buttons, the user can't feel if they are on the key. Shawn O'Neil found a Microsoft concept that positions the keyboard under your fingers regardless of where they are on the screen.

This could be a very useful concept. If done right, the keys will always be the right size for your fingers and exactly where you expect. For example, when a little kid is typing the keys will be smaller than when an adult is typing. This could also potentially remove the problem of having to switch between the mouse and the keyboard. At least for me, every time I have to switch, I have to reposition my hands. With the moving keyboard, I could simply move my hand to click and then immediately start typing in the new position.

Lasar Harp

Using a modified Wiimote and some music editing software, it is possible to make a laser harp similar to those found in science museums. Stephen Hobley has designed and built a very impressive laser harp:

Using a Wiimote retrofitted with a laser filter and the WiimoteLib, Hobley was able to communicate with a music editing program. By sliding ones hand up or down a beam of light, the sound of the note changes. This looks like it could be a lot of fun, but using it could be difficult because there is no tactile feedback (as noted on his page).

Uncertainty in Human Decision-Making

In the talk by Dr. Konrad Kording, The Influence of Uncertainty on Motor Learning and Its Neural Representation, Dr. Kording explained the baisen probability model of human decision-making. The basien probability is the product of the probability of an outcome based on observed data and the probability of an outcome based on previous experience.

To test the validity of the model, Dr. Kording created an experiment where the subject had to drag their finger across a board. However, the participants could not see their finger, rather they saw a projection that did not reflect reality. During most of the test, the participant received no feedback, at about halfway across they were shown a cursor that could be displaced by some (usually small) distance from where their finger actually was. At the end, they were also showed a cursor. By measuring how the participants changed their motion, the actual displacement and the predicted displacement could be compared. The model fits the data quite well, indicating that humans us baisen probability to decide how to best respond to uncertain situations.

Robotic Hand

While humanoid robotics are not currently developed enough for general human interaction, there is much research directed at creating a robot that can safely interact with humans. An important sub-system of the robot will be the end-effector, or hand. Ishikawa Komuro Lab has developed a high-speed robotic hand capable of manipulating human objects. Some of it's more impressive capabilities are throwing and catching a cell phone and dribbling a ball.

The system consists of a high-speed camera, a parallel photo processing array and the three-fingered end-effector. Using novel control algorithms, the robot is able to throw a ball, tie a knot and catch a cell phone. This end-effector is probably too fast to be used around humans, but for human-robot interaction to become a reality, a similar system will have to be developed.

Laugh Floor at Walt Disney World

Similar to my last post, this post will also be about computer-generated figures interacting with the humans. Unlike the last post, this really works. Disney has several human-cartoon interaction shows in their parks.

At Walt Disney World they have a show called Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor where characters from Monster's Inc. come out and crack jokes with the audience. Instead of just a pre-recorded show, the cartoon characters actually interact with the audience. For example, a two-header monster comes out and asks guests where they are from. Based on the response of the guest, they react accordingly. Its June and a guest says they are from Arizona, the monster might insist that it is freezing cold in Arizona and start shivering. The Laugh Floor works because of the corny humor and the wow factor of cartoon characters interacting with you in real time.

Milo

A really cool application of Project Natal is that very natural interaction

could occur between humans and computer generated characters.

Milo is one such character. He is a young British boy who lives in

your television. Using Project Natal's interface, he can talk with

you and take you on his adventures. For example, in the

YouTube video, Milo and Clara, the human, were talking. It sounded

a bit scripted, but his inflection and movements were fairly realistic.

Clara discovers that Milo has not started his school project (how

she knew he had one was never explained), so she offers to help.

Milo decides that he wants to catch and draw fish for his project,

so they head over to the local fish pond. Milo tosses Clara some

glasses through the TV, which Clara pretends to catch. According

to the narrator, everyone who has tried Milo out goes to catch the

glasses. After Clara looks in the pond and splashes around for

a bit, Milo wants some help drawing a picture of a fish. Using a

conveniently located paper and marker to draw a fish, Clara holds

it up to the TV. Project Natal recognizes that it is paper and scans

it. Meanwhile, Milo reaches out and "takes" the drawing from Clara.

While I strongly doubt that Milo is currently functional enough to be

released to the general public, as the video implies, some of how

Milo interacts is possible. I also don't know what function a boy inside

your TV would serve, but its really cool nonetheless.