InSTInCT project: rethink the tactile in all its dimensions

In recent years, the massive use of tactile surfaces like iPhone has revolutionized uses and user interfaces, but these interactions are mostly two-dimensional, and are rarely in a three-dimensional space. This observation was the starting point of the InSTInCT project (French acronym for interfaces dedicated to tactile surfaces for interaction with threedimensional content) which began in fall 2009. Co-financed by the French National Research Agency, it aims at developing effective techniques for an intuitive touch interaction between a user and an interactive 3D environment.

For three years, research teams from INRIA, Immersion and Cap Sciences will ponder the opportunities to increase the dissemination of interactive 3D technologies, from professional uses to general public uses (public places like museum, classroom, station concourse…):

• Research teams from IPARLA (INRIA) bring their expertise in the area of interfaces, human factors, interactive 3D technologies or computer vision.

• Research teams from ALCOVE share their overall vision of 3D interaction modes (links between the interface, electrical engineering and ergonomics).

• Cap Sciences ensures to take constantly into account needs and constraints for consumer use, and brings an evaluation and validation of the proposed approaches in actual conditions of use.

• Immersion brings its expertise in the development of innovative peripherals and takes charge of the realization of prototypes that are in line with the market.

You can highlight the innovative and ambitious nature of the InSTInCT project, whose multidisciplinary approach is facilitated by the collaboration between those partners from different backgrounds, but who share the desire to look for hardware technologies as much as interaction techniques or new uses related to 3D applications. The InSTInCT project is divided into three research areas:

• technologies: hardware and software techniques to develop efficient tactile devices (improvement of existing technologies and innovative devices designing).

• interaction techniques: methods and approaches that will be developed to produce 3D interaction tasks (manipulation of objects, virtual camera...). There is currently very little interaction techniques dedicated to the tactile surfaces that have been designed for 3D use.

• uses: final applications in which many needs and constraints must be taken into account (cultural, economic, environmental and societal). The project will focus on a narrow range of general public oriented applications (exhibitions and museums), but the mechanisms of interaction can also adapt to professional needs.

Links between different research areas of InSTInCT.

During the first months of the project, an initial test platform has been installed at Cap Sciences (Bordeaux) to get feedbacks from users. The Cubtile from Immersion effectively allows the manipulation of the model of the future drawbridge from Bordeaux, with a display on a remote screen. This first experimental phase will be followed by a phase of analysis and the launch of research. The project will end with the capitalization of reached results through new interfaces that will integrate retained improvements and innovations.

Throughout the project, InSTInCT players will be very keen to communicate and highlight obtained results, both in academic and scientific field (ta king part in publications or conferences) or with different players of virtual reality, computer graphics and human-machine interfaces (organization of workshops in order to position the project as a leader in this emerging theme). Dissemination to the general public is an inherent requirement of the project: InSTInCT players will constantly meet this need through the devices showed, but also through meetings or through the project website which will present a project monitoring in real time.