NSF PR 00-51 - July 25, 2000
This material is available primarily for archival
purposes. Telephone numbers or other contact information
may be out of date; please see current contact information
at media
contacts.
Human-Computer Interaction Gets a Helping Hand, Eye
and Voice
Research moves toward more-natural
communication with computers
Computers are one step closer to "understanding" people,
thanks to progress in human-computer interaction research
at Rutgers University funded by the National Science
Foundation (NSF) Directorate for Computer and Information
Science and Engineering.
Keyboard and mouse inputs suffice for many users and
PC applications. But NSF-funded researchers in a project
called STIMULATE are developing systems that mimic
other forms of communication that humans use to interact
with each other, including eye contact, touch and
voice. The experimental hardware and software may
find uses in medicine, the military and other fields
that could benefit from more natural forms of human-computer
interaction across distributed networks. NSF funding
is about $780,000 for three years.
Computer scientists and electrical engineers at Rutgers
have designed Multimodal Input Manager (MIM) hardware
that simultaneously receives speech, gaze and tactile
signals. Then special software called Fusion Agent
assimilates the complex inputs so the computer may
respond to subtle signals that humans routinely use
to communicate with one another.
A pneumatic "force-feedback" glove, patented by Rutgers,
weighs less than three ounces and reads gestures by
detecting fingertip positions relative to the palm.
It lets the user point at the computer screen, overriding
signals from a gaze-tracking camera.
Whereas other gaze trackers require cumbersome headpieces,
the MIM's gimbal-mounted unit sits on the desktop
and rotates to detect where the user is looking. After
a 10-second initial calibration of the infrared detectors,
the user can direct a cursor just by looking at a
section of the computer screen.
"While we don't foresee that the keyboard and mouse
will become obsolete anytime soon," said STIMULATE
project leader James Flanagan, "MIM technology opens
possibilities for improving current computer applications
and for developing entirely new ones that require
more-refined modes of human-computer interaction."
The software even detects lip movement to steer a microphone
array for use in high-noise environments. For groups
of users, the array can home in on the vocal source,
even if the person speaking moves around the room.
MIM users at multiple locations can simultaneously
interact with each other in a unified, 3D-work environment.
Using the Java programming language, the project also
produced new cWorld (for Collaborative World) software
that lets teams of users construct those virtual environments.
"Human-computer interaction like STIMULATE is a major
thrust of NSF's new Information Technology Research
(ITR) program," said Michael Lesk, who oversees the
$90 million ITR initiative in fiscal year 2000. "This
is the kind of risk-taking project where success is
not guaranteed but potential benefit is enormous."
Lesk also noted the participation of 22 graduate students
and 15 undergraduates in the project.
The MIM has been tested by medical doctors for analyzing
images of blood samples, X-rays and MRI tests. A physician
can use the tactile, voice-recognition and eye-tracking
inputs to rapidly separate distinct image characteristics,
then vocally query the database for samples that match.
Another field test of the MIM hardware was a disaster-relief
simulation involving Army National Guard officers
at Fort Dix, New Jersey. By using the STIMULATE system
to interact with remote staff, a command officer was
able to rapidly process 2D and 3D representations
of logistical, personnel and equipment data. Due to
the unsuitability of a keyboard and mouse, these tasks
are presently handled with voice-only communications,
and data are plotted using acetate map overlays and
grease pencils.
For illustrations of STIMULATE, see: http://www.nsf.gov/od/lpa/news/press/00/stimulate.htm
|