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The term "ubiquitous computing" ( see also “Ubiquitous Human-Computer Interaction” as one of the Grand Challenges of the German Informatics Society) describes the use of computers in various types of devices that could exist without them—or have done so until now—and in human interactions that were previously carried out without computers. This ubiquity of computers is also changing the way we interact with and must interact with technology. Ubiquitous Interaction refers here primarily to the wide variety of interaction possibilities that these “ubiquitous” devices enable.
We have set ourselves the goal of researching ubiquitous interaction. Examples of such interaction include communication with apps on mobile phones, among and between occupants of connected vehicles, or in virtual environments. In our Ubiquitous Interaction Lab, we therefore research and develop solutions to support people using new technologies from the fields of augmented and mixed reality, ubiquitous computing, wearable computing, and the Internet of Things.
The lab is used for HCIS research projects and is also made available to students who are writing their theses, working on projects, or conducting research tracks with us. The lab’s current focus is augmented reality. Research is currently being conducted using the Microsoft HoloLens, with additional devices and technologies to follow in the near future.
Topics covered include the potential for supporting collaborative actors through augmented reality, the use of new technologies such as augmented reality or IoT in specific application areas, and the exploration of various interaction possibilities with all the technical devices that surround us today.
Augmented Reality Training for Industrial Assembly Work
Augmented reality could also be used to train new employees in a company. Workflows could be demonstrated by an augmented reality application instead of an expert, supplementing traditional on-the-job training and thereby saving valuable work hours. In this study, a projection-based augmented reality system was used to instruct employees on an assembly task and was compared to instruction provided by a human. The resulting scientific report can be viewed here. The video shows the presentation of this report.
Getting Out of Out of Sight
As part of our ongoing research into supporting collaborative work with augmented reality, we conducted another experiment. Participants were tasked with finding and retrieving 8 virtual puzzle pieces (colored cubes) that were distributed throughout an office building (4 offices connected by a hallway). Each group member was shown a combination of orientation and perception aids on their own HoloLens. These aids included a map, a compass, and the ability to see through walls.
The publication resulting from this experiment can be viewed here
E-Racer in a virtual wind tunnel
This project was developed as part of the IdeenExpo 2019 in collaboration with the Institute of Technical Mechanics and the Green Voltage Racing Team (GVR) at Clausthal University of Technology. The project uses Microsoft HoloLens to display additional information and images on the GVR’s race car. The application allows users to take an informal tour either alone or in sync with multiple people. The displayed data includes surface pressure, flow lines, an exploded view of the battery box, and an animation of the powertrain.
Visual search
As part of an experiment, we investigated how individuals and groups cooperate in augmented reality and complete various search tasks. To this end, a Unity-based application for the Microsoft HoloLens was developed in our Ubiquitous Interaction Lab. After a brief training phase, participants had to locate a specific virtual object as quickly as possible among a multitude of other virtual objects.
To be able to reproduce and evaluate the recorded sequences and processes afterward, an analysis system for the computer was also developed. By animating the stored data, it is possible to track and analyze where participants and search objects are located in the space and how they interact with one another.