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Tangible props for scientific visualization: concept, requirements, application

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Abstract

In this paper, we explore the use of printed tangible props as input devices for scientific visualization. Three-dimensional printing technology is used to create a physical representation of data. The object is then used as a tangible input prop, which exactly matches the data. In addition, two-handed interaction with a stylus is performed on the prop without the use of buttons, instead relying on the detection of contact between the stylus and the prop through precise calibration and tracking. This allows the sense of touch to be harnessed to create a more efficient and natural interaction method for scientific visualizations in virtual and augmented reality. We explain the concept of tangible props and where it can be applied. We also consider the technical requirements of systems using such props. Finally, we present our example application, which uses printed tangible props for interactive measurement of marine coral data. The use of tangible props is found to improve the usability of the application.

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Acknowledgments

This work was carried out in the context of the Virtual Laboratory for e-Science project (http://www.vl-e.nl). This project is supported by a BSIK grant from the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OC&W) and is part of the ICT innovation program of the Ministry of Economic Affairs (EZ).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica, Science Park 123, 1098 XG, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Krzysztof Jakub Kruszyński & Robert van Liere

  2. Technische Universiteit Eindhoven, Eindhoven, The Netherlands

    Robert van Liere

Authors
  1. Krzysztof Jakub Kruszyński
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  2. Robert van Liere
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Correspondence to Krzysztof Jakub Kruszyński.

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Kruszyński, K.J., van Liere, R. Tangible props for scientific visualization: concept, requirements, application. Virtual Reality 13, 235–244 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10055-009-0126-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10055-009-0126-1

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