a new type of inter-species media interaction which allows human users to interact and play with their small pet friends (in this case hamsters) remotely via the Internet through a mixed reality based game system
More links: Wired article | Wikidot site
This paper presents a new approach to enhance remote collaboration and communication, based on the idea of Tangible Interfaces, which places a greater emphasis on touch and physicality. The approach is grounded in a concept called Synchronized Distributed Physical Objects, which employs telemanipulation technology to create the illusion that distant users are interacting with shared physical objects.
inTouch: A Medium for Haptic Interpersonal Communication
The idea behind inTouch is to create the illusion that two people, separated by distance, are interacting with a shared physical object…
…In our current design, the two connected objects each consist of three cylindrical rollers mounted on a base . When one of the rollers is rotated, the corresponding roller on the remote object rotates in the same way. This behavior can be achieved using haptic (force-feedback) technology with sensors to monitor the physical states of the rollers and internal motors to synchronize these states.
In Experiment 1, participants utilized a 2 DOF force-feedback joystick to express seven emotions. We examined various dimensions of the forces generated and subjective ratings of the difficulty of expressing those emotions. In Experiment 2, a separate group of participants attempted to recognize the recordings of emotions generated in Experiment 1. In Experiment 3, pairs of participants attempted to communicate the seven emotions using physical handshakes. Results indicated that humans were above chance when recognizing emotions via VIT but not as accurate as people expressing emotions through nonmediated handshakes.
Along with exhibit designer Lynch Exhibits, led by museum operation manager Rob Steel, the N.Y. Hall of Science's Siegel came up with the concept of an Internet arm wrestling demonstration.
The idea was to allow contestants in two different cities to arm-wrestle, using motorized force-transmitting systems interconnected by a telephone data link. First succcessfully exhibited during a 1986 link-up between the Canadian Cultural Centre, Paris, and the Artculture Resource Centre, Toronto.