We apply manipulation planning to computer animation. A new path planner is presented that automatically computes the collision-free trajectories for several cooperating arms to manipulate a movable object between two configurations. This implemented planner is capable of dealing with complicated tasks where regrasping is involved. In addition, we present a new inverse kinematics algorithm for the human arms. This algorithm is utilized by the planner for the generation of realistic human arm motions as they manipulate objects. We view our system as a tool for facilitating the production of animation.

Scenarios have been advocated as a means of improving requirements engineering yet few methods or tools exist to support scenario based RE. The paper reports a method and software assistant tool for scenario-based RE that integrates with use case approaches to object oriented development. The method and operation of the tool are illustrated with a financial system case study. Scenarios are used to represent paths of possible behaviour through a use case and these are investigated to elaborate requirements. The method commences by acquisition and modelling of a use case. The use case is then compared with a library of abstract models that represent different application classes. Each model is associated with a set of generic requirements for its class, hence, by identifying the class(es) to which the use case belongs, generic requirements can be reused. Scenario paths are automatically generated from use cases, then exception types are applied to normal event sequences to suggest possib...

Virtual environments are envisioned as being systems that will enhance the communication between humans and computers. If virtual systems are to be effective and well received by their users, considerable human-factors research needs to be accomplished. This paper provides an overview of many of these human-factors issues, including human performance efficiency in virtual worlds (which is likely influenced by task characteristics, user characteristics, human sensory and motor physiology, multimodal interaction, and the potential need for new design metaphors); health and safety issues (of which cybersickness and deleterious physiological aftereffects may pose the most concern); and the social impact of the technology. The challenges each of these factors present to the effective design of virtual environments and systematic approaches to the resolution of each of these issues are discussed. 1 Introduction Efforts to apply virtual reality (VR) technology to advance the fields of medicin...

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MD This paper describes an effort to identify common metrics for task-oriented human-robot interaction (HRI). We begin by discussing the need for a toolkit of HRI metrics. We then describe the framework of our work and identify important biasing factors that must be taken into consideration. Finally, we present suggested common metrics for standardization and a case study. Preparation of a larger, more detailed toolkit is in progress.

3D interaction with a computer is hard. As human interaction in the real world is quite dependent on haptics, we believe that adding haptics will alleviate many of the problems of 3D interaction with a computer. The naive approach to incorporating haptics would be to simply find existing objects and imitate them. This, however, would not seem to adequately leverage what is possible with a reasonably general force feedbackdevice, as it does not take advantage of the ability to provide forces that are not physically based, or to simulate objects and behavior that could have been physically realized but weren't, or which would have been prohibitively difficult to physically realize. From our extensive experience with designing haptic computer user interfaces and using haptic interfaces in the real world we have abstracted from those interactions certain qualities which we present in this paper. In addition, this paper demonstrates how to use these qualities in the analysis and design of a...

this paper, means human action in a world

In this article we wish to show a method that goes beyond the established approaches of human-computer interaction. We first bring a serious critique of traditional interface types, showing their major drawbacks and limitations. Promising alternatives are offered by Virtual (or: immersive) Reality (VR) and by Augmented Reality (AR). The AR design strategy enables humans to behave in a nearly natural way. Natural interaction means human actions in the real world with other humans and/or with real world objects. Guided by the basic constraints of natural interaction, we derive a set of recommendations for the next generation of user interfaces: the Natural User Interface (NUI). Our approach to NUIs is discussed in the form of a general framework followed by a prototype. The prototype tool builds on video-based interaction, and supports construction and plant layout. A first empirical evaluation is briefly presented.

This article was published in 1998, and is now being re-issued by the editors and publishers of the Information Design Journal for free distribution on the Internet, in the wake of concerns about the impact of information design on the November 2000 U.S. Presidential elections. The author is Chairperson and Associate Professor of the Department of Industrial, Interior, and Visual Communication Design at The Ohio State University. Recent research on voting systems demonstrates the need to improve usability and ensure equal access to the election process for all voters. Information design and human factors could offer help in meeting this need. The ballot is the component of a voting system that displays information supporting decisionmaking for a large and diverse population. The size of this group in the United States is substantial -- 121 million people were registered to vote as of 1990 and over sixty percent of the electorate voted in the<F10

It is time to go beyond the established approaches in human-computer interaction. After a serious critic of command language, menu selection, and desktop interfaces we discuss the two known approaches to overcome the obstacles and limitations: [immersive] Virtual Reality (VR), and Augmented Reality (AR). Both design strategies are diametrically opposed: VR enriches the virtual world with real humans, while AR augments the real world with intelligent features. Only with the AR design strategy humans are able to behave as much as possible in a natural way: behavior of humans in the real world with other humans and/or real world objects. Our interest in human centred design let us follow this idea. Based on the fundamental constraints of natural way of interacting we derive a set of recommendations for the next generation of user interfaces: the Natural User Interface (NUI). The concept of NUI is discussed in form of a general framework and in form of several NUI-like applications. Finally we describe the interdisciplinary research topics that must be taken into consideration to come up one day--in the near future-- with a well-designed NUI. 1.