Periodic Reporting for period 1 - InteVol (Interactions with Future Reach-Through Volumetric Displays)
Reporting period: 2022-10-01 to 2025-03-31
Volumetric Displays can render True 3D graphics that multiple people can observe from different angles without wearing devices or headsets. True 3D graphics provide visual cues (e.g. binocular disparity and focal accommodation) similar to objects from the real world, thus enhancing depth perception. Numerous studies highlight the potential of Volumetric Displays for education, engineering design, entertainment or medical visualizations. In comparisson with virtual reality headsets, people can come and directly start interacting with volumetric displays, without set up time or reluctances towards shared devices.
However, current volumetric displays do not allow users to introduce their hands in the display volume and directly interact with the rendered graphics. That is, the virtual graphics are similar to those in the real world but the interaction with them is done indirectly through the mouse or keyboard.
InteVol will be the first reach-through volumetric display (RVD), it will allow users to not only visualize True 3D content but also to reach it with their hands and directly manipulate it as they do with real world objects.
The objectives of InteVol are: O1) combine novel techniques in acoustic levitation, tomographic illumination and particle tracking to realize the first Reach-Through Volumetric Display (RVD). O2) explore interaction techniques and applications for RVDs. O3) enhance RVDs with tactile sensations and spatial audio.
However, current volumetric displays do not allow users to introduce their hands in the display volume and directly interact with the rendered graphics. That is, the virtual graphics are similar to those in the real world but the interaction with them is done indirectly through the mouse or keyboard.
InteVol will be the first reach-through volumetric display (RVD), it will allow users to not only visualize True 3D content but also to reach it with their hands and directly manipulate it as they do with real world objects.
The objectives of InteVol are: O1) combine novel techniques in acoustic levitation, tomographic illumination and particle tracking to realize the first Reach-Through Volumetric Display (RVD). O2) explore interaction techniques and applications for RVDs. O3) enhance RVDs with tactile sensations and spatial audio.
InteVol combines two methodologies to develop the project: short-term prototyping and long-term development. In the short-term prototyping, we do an incremental adaptation of existing technology, this involves modifying commercially-available devices to create a prototype that supports a limited but sufficient set of features in which interaction techniques and applications can be tested. On the long-term development, a ground-up development of new technology is done. Developing a new technology can take several years, but with our double approach, applications and interactions can be preliminary tested until the full technology is available.
In the short-term prototyping, we explore the benefits of direct interaction, emulating volumetric displays in virtual reality environments (Ardaiz, 2024). We modified a traditional laser pointer (Fernandez, 2024) for being able to point to 3D position inside a volumetric display by adjusting its timing. This is not considered direct interaction but it is a simple device that makes easier interacting with existing applications for volumetric displays, thus facilitating the demonstration of the concepts towards InteVol. We are exploring the use of elastic diffusers that allow the user to get the hand inside volumetric displays.
On the long-term development, we have shown how time-multiplexation of acoustic fields can lead to higher quality of acoustic patterns (Elizondo, 2023). In a master thesis (Aldea, 2023), we explored the combination of phased-arrays with static modulators to enhanced the resolution of the amplitude patterns that will be used to shape the light scatterers. We are focused on understanding how the acoustic fields can shape aerosols, fog or mist (small particles in general); we have detected a mechanism to do this based on the temperature of the air. Different scatterers are being studied in combinations with strobe, light-field and high-speed projection.
In the short-term prototyping, we explore the benefits of direct interaction, emulating volumetric displays in virtual reality environments (Ardaiz, 2024). We modified a traditional laser pointer (Fernandez, 2024) for being able to point to 3D position inside a volumetric display by adjusting its timing. This is not considered direct interaction but it is a simple device that makes easier interacting with existing applications for volumetric displays, thus facilitating the demonstration of the concepts towards InteVol. We are exploring the use of elastic diffusers that allow the user to get the hand inside volumetric displays.
On the long-term development, we have shown how time-multiplexation of acoustic fields can lead to higher quality of acoustic patterns (Elizondo, 2023). In a master thesis (Aldea, 2023), we explored the combination of phased-arrays with static modulators to enhanced the resolution of the amplitude patterns that will be used to shape the light scatterers. We are focused on understanding how the acoustic fields can shape aerosols, fog or mist (small particles in general); we have detected a mechanism to do this based on the temperature of the air. Different scatterers are being studied in combinations with strobe, light-field and high-speed projection.
Enhancing the quality of acoustic amplitude pattern by time-multiplexation; and the combination of phased-arrays with static modulators will be used for shapping the scatterers with that form the 3D graphics to display. Morevover, amplitude patterns are used in domains ranging from medical treatments to generation of tactile stimulus, thus the developed techniques will benefit those fields.
Publishing and demoing in top Human-Computer-Interaction conferences (CHI, UIST or SIGGRAPH) is a priority of the project to share knowledge and, in general, bring back the interest in volumetric displays.
High-impact journals in physics or more multidisciplinary ones will be used for making technical knowledge available.
To complement the traditional path of publication, we have two objectives. Developing a Do-it-yourself Volumetric Display and publish instructions on how to build it (e.g. in Instructables or Hackaday), then going to Maker Faires to show it to people and tell them that they can build it at home and improve it. The other objective is to create an interactive art exhibition based on Reach-through Volumetric Displays, potential targets are festivals like Ars Electronica.
Publishing and demoing in top Human-Computer-Interaction conferences (CHI, UIST or SIGGRAPH) is a priority of the project to share knowledge and, in general, bring back the interest in volumetric displays.
High-impact journals in physics or more multidisciplinary ones will be used for making technical knowledge available.
To complement the traditional path of publication, we have two objectives. Developing a Do-it-yourself Volumetric Display and publish instructions on how to build it (e.g. in Instructables or Hackaday), then going to Maker Faires to show it to people and tell them that they can build it at home and improve it. The other objective is to create an interactive art exhibition based on Reach-through Volumetric Displays, potential targets are festivals like Ars Electronica.