Beating the limitations of camera-monitor mediated telepresence with extra eyes

In physical presence, you are most aware of your immediate surroundings, such as what is at your feet or who is beside you, and less aware of objects further away. In telepresence, almost the opposite is true. Due to the nature of the medium, you are most aware of what is in front, often at a distance, as dictated by the limited view of the camera. Even where remote camera control is possible, the range of exploration is limited and the logistics of control are typically awkward and slow. All of this adds up to a pronounced loss of awareness of the periphery in telepresence. The research described here attempts to compensate for these problems through two mechanisms. First, we provide telepresence users with two separate views, one wide-angle and the other, a controllable, detailed view. To simplify navigation, the two views are seamlessly linked together, so that selecting a region of one will have an effect in the other. Second, we utilize sensor information from the remote location to provide the user with notification of relevant events that may require attention. Together, these tools significantly enhance users' awareness of their telepresence surroundings.