Interaction- Responsive Workbench

The Responsive Workbench is a 3D interactive virtual reality system with a tabletop metaphor originally developed by Wolfgang Krueger at GMD. The user of the workbench interacts with the virtual objects on the workbench just as they would with actual objects on an actual workbench. Since the Responsive Workbench uses this tabletop metaphor, actual and virtual objects can coexist in the tabletop environment. This creates reinforcing cues and a very natural working environment for many applications.

In order to create the 3D environment, users wear shutter glasses to view computer-generated stereoscopic images that are projected the tabletop display surface by a projector/mirror system. The user's head position and orientation are tracked to create the correct perspective for the computer to use when rendering the environment. An input device is also tracked by the system allowing the users to interact with objects in the tabletop environment.

Our current research involves augmenting the workbench environment to support telecollaboration as seemlessly as single site workbench usage. Additionally, we are designing a tool suite to allow natural interaction by both novices and experts on a variety of tasks. To create a more immersive environment, we are working to increase tracker accuracy through the use of optical and inertial tracking systems as well as looking into the incorporation of haptic feedback in the workbench space. We also hope to address the performance issues associated with the workbench through multiresolution techniques and asynchronous hardware.