Triggermuscle: Exploring Weight Perception for Virtual Reality Through Adaptive Trigger Resistance in a Haptic VR Controller

It is challenging to provide users with a haptic weight sensation of virtual objects in VR since current consumer VR controllers and software-based approaches such as pseudo-haptics cannot render appropriate haptic stimuli. To overcome these limitations, we developed a haptic VR controller named Triggermuscle that adjusts its trigger resistance according to the weight of a virtual object. Therefore, users need to adapt their index finger force to grab objects of different virtual weights. Dynamic and continuous adjustment is enabled by a spring mechanism inside the casing of an HTC Vive controller. In two user studies, we explored the effect on weight perception and found large differences between participants for sensing change in trigger resistance and thus for discriminating virtual weights. The variations were easily distinguished and associated with weight by some participants while others did not notice them at all. We discuss possible limitations, confounding factors, how to overcome them in future research and the pros and cons of this novel technology.

Cascade control of «smart home» heating

The article discusses the issues of implementing the conversion of input signals of «smart» sensors for automation of the heating system, an algorithm for calculating the parameters of measuring circuits with a nonlinear element and an operational amplifier is developed. The issues of modeling cascade control of residential building heating systems are investigated. The results of the analysis and selection of parameters of the cascade control system are presented. An algorithm implementing the operation of a virtual object is given. The structures of management of residential building objects are proposed. The method of calculating the adjustment of the controller for cascade control is given. For the heating system stand, the procedure for setting the parameters of the process of PID control of the coolant temperature is considered. The results confirming the achievability of the proposed structural changes are obtained. The results of experimental studies are presented.

Investigation of impact of Augmented Reality Technology on Interactive Teaching Learning Process

Augmented Reality (AR) is growing technology that superimpose 3D images onto real world. This enhances the user’s real-world experience. This potential of AR can be utilized effectively in teaching learning for engineering graphics course.There is visualization limitation for engineering students entering in first year, and this leads them to face difficulty in understanding and developing orthographic, isometric and section view of models. AR can empower the students to visualize the actual virtual object in 3D view to match their imagination with augmented object. In this regard initially a framework of AR is conceptualized for the course of engineering graphics & an AR application is developed. This paper mainly focuses on investigation & impact of AR technology on interactive teaching learning process in engineering graphics. Impact of this technology is measured by student’s performance in AR interactive test. The result shows increase in student’s performance in written test by 18.52% in engineering graphics and in mental rotation test by 28.97%.

Preparing to move: Setting initial conditions to simplify interactions with complex objects

Humans dexterously interact with a variety of objects, including those with complex internal dynamics. Even in the simple action of carrying a cup of coffee, the hand not only applies a force to the cup, but also indirectly to the liquid, which elicits complex reaction forces back on the hand. Due to underactuation and nonlinearity, the object’s dynamic response to an action sensitively depends on its initial state and can display unpredictable, even chaotic behavior. With the overarching hypothesis that subjects strive for predictable object-hand interactions, this study examined how subjects explored and prepared the dynamics of an object for subsequent execution of the target task. We specifically hypothesized that subjects find initial conditions that shorten the transients prior to reaching a stable and predictable steady state. Reaching a predictable steady state is desirable as it may reduce the need for online error corrections and facilitate feed forward control. Alternative hypotheses were that subjects seek to reduce effort, increase smoothness, and reduce risk of failure. Motivated by the task of ‘carrying a cup of coffee’, a simplified cup-and-ball model was implemented in a virtual environment. Human subjects interacted with this virtual object via a robotic manipulandum that provided force feedback. Subjects were encouraged to first explore and prepare the cup-and-ball before initiating a rhythmic movement at a specified frequency between two targets without losing the ball. Consistent with the hypotheses, subjects increased the predictability of interaction forces between hand and object and converged to a set of initial conditions followed by significantly decreased transients. The three alternative hypotheses were not supported. Surprisingly, the subjects’ strategy was more effortful and less smooth, unlike the observed behavior in simple reaching movements. Inverse dynamics of the cup-and-ball system and forward simulations with an impedance controller successfully described subjects’ behavior. The initial conditions chosen by the subjects in the experiment matched those that produced the most predictable interactions in simulation. These results present first support for the hypothesis that humans prepare the object to minimize transients and increase stability and, overall, the predictability of hand-object interactions.

Smart Health Pregnancy by Augmented Reality: An Interactive Guide for Embryo Growth Using Multi-Marker

This research aims to create Smart Health Pregnancy software that educates pregnant women on fetal development. During pregnancy, a pregnant woman’s health highly influences the pregnancy success rate. Thus, knowing the pregnancy process is necessary for pregnant women. Although resources concerning fetal development such as textbooks, general articles, and websites can be accessed easily, these resources are often too condensed with text, have a less interactive display, and provide inadequate information. Therefore, Smart Health Pregnancy software would facilitate pregnant women in understanding fetal development, displayed in an interactive way using Augmented Reality (AR) technology. The AR method utilized is a marker-based tracking method where the user can use an Android smartphone camera to receive a marker that can display a virtual object in the real world. The virtual object is presented in the form of the embryo or fetus from 1 to 38 weeks in 3D. Furthermore, important information regarding fetal development and the health of pregnant women is also shown. From the results, 95% of the respondents stated that this software is user-friendly and very informative. It shows that the software has performed well and can educate pregnant women.

A Novel Gesture-Based Control System for Fluorescence Volumetric Data in Virtual Reality

With the development of light microscopy, it is becoming increasingly easy to obtain detailed multicolor fluorescence volumetric data. The need for their appropriate visualization has become an integral part of fluorescence imaging. Virtual reality (VR) technology provides a new way of visualizing multidimensional image data or models so that the entire 3D structure can be intuitively observed, together with different object features or details on or within the object. With the need for imaging advanced volumetric data, demands for the control of virtual object properties are increasing; this happens especially for multicolor objects obtained by fluorescent microscopy. Existing solutions with universal VR controllers or software-based controllers with the need to define sufficient space for the user to manipulate data in VR are not usable in many practical applications. Therefore, we developed a custom gesture-based VR control system with a custom controller connected to the FluoRender visualization environment. A multitouch sensor disk was used for this purpose. Our control system may be a good choice for easier and more comfortable manipulation of virtual objects and their properties, especially using confocal microscopy, which is the most widely used technique for acquiring volumetric fluorescence data so far.

Forehead Tactile Hallucination Is Augmented by the Perceived Risk and Accompanies Increase of Forehead Tactile Sensitivity

Tactile hallucinations frequently occur after mental illnesses and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Despite their common occurrence, there are several complicating factors that make it difficult to elucidate the tactile hallucinations. The forehead tactile hallucination, evoked by the physical object approaching to the forehead, can be easily and consistently evoked in healthy-bodied subjects, and therefore it would help with investigating the mechanism of tactile hallucinations. In this pilot study, we investigated the principles of the forehead tactile hallucination with eight healthy subjects. We designed the experimental setup to test the effect of sharpness and speed of objects approaching towards the forehead on the forehead tactile hallucination, in both a physical and virtual experimental setting. The forehead tactile hallucination was successfully evoked by virtual object as well as physical object, approaching the forehead. The forehead tactile hallucination was increased by the increase of sharpness and speed of the approaching object. The forehead tactile hallucination also increased the tactile sensitivity on the forehead. The forehead tactile hallucination can be solely evoked by visual feedback and augmented by the increased perceived risk. The forehead tactile hallucination also increases tactile sensitivity. These experimental results may enhance the understanding of the foundational mechanisms of tactile hallucinations.

The concept of things in the virtual world from the theory of human rights for property

The subject of the study is an attempt to define the concept of “virtual object” in the context of the human right to property. The human right to property, formed in the 20th century, undergoes far-reaching transformations as a result of the creation of virtual reality, and with it the virtual objects. The aim of the study is to find an answer to the question of how useful the traditional concept of human right to property is in relation to the human right to virtual objects. As a research hypothesis, the author adopted the statement that the category of things defined as res incorporales is useful for examining the ownership of virtual objects. The studies use the legal-dogmatic and legal-historical methods. As a result of the research, the author concluded that the usefulness of the traditional concept of human right to property is relatively of little use in the case of human right to a virtual object.