Simplifying Remote Collaboration through Spatial Mirroring

Even though remote collaboration through telepresence is supported by a variety of devices and display environments, it still has some inherent problems. One of these problems is the definition of a unified spatial reference system for the shared workspace in combination with an immersive representation of the collaborator. To mitigate this problem we propose a technique we call spatial mirroring. It is based on a virtual collaboration environment using two curved displays and aims to eliminate possible communication errors due to left/right misunderstandings. We explain the working principle and ideas behind spatial mirroring, and present two consecutive user studies in which we were able to verify its benefits.

[1]  Tobias Schwarz,et al.  Perspective+detail: a visualization technique for vertically curved displays , 2012, AVI.

[2]  Oliver Schreer,et al.  An immersive 3D video-conferencing system using shared virtual team user environments , 2002, CVE '02.

[3]  Anoop Gupta,et al.  IllumiShare: sharing any surface , 2012, CHI.

[4]  Hiroshi Ishii,et al.  ClearBoard: a seamless medium for shared drawing and conversation with eye contact , 1992, CHI.

[5]  Junji Yamato,et al.  The t-Room: Toward the Future Phone , 2006 .

[6]  Andrew Wilson,et al.  MirageTable: freehand interaction on a projected augmented reality tabletop , 2012, CHI.

[7]  David B. Kaber,et al.  Telepresence , 1998, Hum. Factors.

[8]  Takeshi Naemura,et al.  Lumisight table: a face-to-face collaboration support system that optimizes direction of projected information to each stakeholder , 2004, CSCW.

[9]  Jan O. Borchers,et al.  BendDesk: dragging across the curve , 2010, ITS '10.

[10]  Andreas Butz,et al.  Curve: revisiting the digital desk , 2010, NordiCHI.

[11]  Robert E. Kraut,et al.  Language Efficiency and Visual Technology , 2004 .

[12]  John C. Tang,et al.  Three's company: understanding communication channels in three-way distributed collaboration , 2010, CSCW '10.

[13]  M. F. Schober.  Spatial perspective-taking in conversation , 1993, Cognition.

[14]  Fabian Hennecke,et al.  PerspectiveTable : Blending Physical and Virtual Collaborative Workspaces , 2013 .

[15]  B. Tversky,et al.  Embodied and disembodied cognition: Spatial perspective-taking , 2009, Cognition.

[16]  Kostas Daniilidis,et al.  Tele-immersion Portal : Towards an Ultimate Synthesis of Computer Graphics and Computer Vision Systems , 2001 .

[17]  Bruce Tog Tognazzini,et al.  The “Starfire” video prototype project: a case history , 1994, CHI '94.

[18]  Sara A. Bly,et al.  The Portland Experience: A Report on a Distributed Research Group , 1991, Int. J. Man Mach. Stud..