Inspired from the tactility of solids and the fluidity of liquids, we have created Obake which embodies a solid shape changing form with a liquid exterior affording fluid like interactions. Obake objects are 3D wireframe shapes with the capacity to morph into new solid forms while maintaining a fluid exterior enabling new interaction opportunities.

We have outlined ten key interactions and gestures for an Obake surface, as illustrated in our presentation – intrude, extrude, prod, pull, push, friction, compress, expand, warp, stitch, s-bend.

We have currently implemented a 2.5D display based on the Obake principles which we use to demonstrate a geographic data viewer. The current features include exploring layers in the terrain both laterally (soil and water profile) and linearly (vegetation profile), ability to pull out shapes (buildings) and prod (mountain) them to explore detail, use of the elastic texture to create (river) and to customize paths (river thickness), to simulate using friction (fire) and to morph display affordances according to the shapes (physical extrusion of terrain from 2D surface to elevated 3D environment with depth based soil profile).

Presentation: Obake

Paper: Obake

Contributions:
Rob Hemsley – Ideation, Presentation, Physical Prototyping
Dhairya Dand –  Ideation, Presentation, Software Prototyping

Slides: Re-Form

Problem Description

Rapid prototyping and the free form construction of physical prototypes play a vital role in the ideation and design experimentation process. The current approach though is inflexible forcing a design to become increasingly constrained as it develops from initial sketch to the CAD model and onto the first fabricated prototype. This inflexibility therefore prevents the designer form being able to naturally experiment and try new designs and configurations where their understanding of the physical affordances and textures of the object shape the design.

Solution

To overcome this the Re-Form project presents an augmented prototyping workbench where physical prototypes can be rapidly developed in a freeform modelling environment. The project is built around an augmented projection system where visual elements such as the UI and object textures can be displayed on the physical form of the prototype. Through the use of reverse electrovibration textures can also be applied to the object allowing the rapid experimentation of both the visual and physical attributes of the prototype. Through these techniques Re-Form can support wizard of oz style interaction with physical objects enabling new user interactions to be immediately tested without having to redesign and fabricate each individual adjustment.