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Floating avatar: telepresence system using blimps for communication and entertainment

Published: 07 May 2011 Publication History

Abstract

We developed a floating avatar system that integrates a blimp with a virtual avatar to create a unique telepresence system. Our blimp works as an avatar and contains several pieces of equipment, including a projector and a speaker as the output functions. Users can communicate with others by transmitting their facial image through the projector and voice through the speaker. A camera and microphone attached to the blimp provide the input function and support the user's manipulation from a distance. The user's presence is dramatically enhanced compared to using conventional virtual avatars (e.g., CG and images) because the avatar is a physical object that can move freely in the real world. In addition, the user's senses are augmented because the blimp detects dynamic information in the real world. For example, the camera provides the user with a special floating view, and the microphone catches a wide variety of sounds such as conversations and environmental noises. This paper describes our floating avatar concept and its implementation.

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    cover image ACM Conferences
    CHI EA '11: CHI '11 Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems
    May 2011
    2554 pages
    ISBN:9781450302685
    DOI:10.1145/1979742

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    Published: 07 May 2011

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    Author Tags

    1. avatar
    2. communication
    3. computational blimp
    4. entertainment
    5. floating interface
    6. telepresence

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    • (2023)Proposal for an aerial display using dynamic projection mapping on a distant flying screen2023 IEEE Conference Virtual Reality and 3D User Interfaces (VR)10.1109/VR55154.2023.00075(603-608)Online publication date: Mar-2023
    • (2021)Design and Fabrication of a Floating Social Robot: CeB the Social BlimpSocial Robotics10.1007/978-3-030-90525-5_58(660-670)Online publication date: 2-Nov-2021
    • (2020)Is Automation Appropriate? Semi-autonomous Telepresence Architecture Focusing on Voluntary and Involuntary MovementsInternational Journal of Social Robotics10.1007/s12369-020-00620-512:5(1119-1134)Online publication date: 1-Feb-2020
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