Person:

Starner, Thad

Permanent Link

https://hdl.handle.net/1853/71734

Associated Organization(s)

Organizational Unit

School of Interactive Computing

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Publication Search Results

Now showing 1 - 10 of 41

Towards a Canine-Human Communication System Based on Head Gestures

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2015-11) Valentin, Giancarlo ; Alcaidinho, Joelle ; Howard, Ayanna M. ; Jackson, Melody Moore ; Starner, Thad

We explored symbolic canine-human communication for working dogs through the use of canine head gestures. We identified a set of seven criteria for selecting head gestures and identified the first four deserving further experimentation. We devised computationally inexpensive mechanisms to prototype the live system from a motion sensor on the dog’s collar. Each detected gesture is paired with a predetermined message that is voiced to the humans by a smart phone. We examined the system and proposed gestures in two experiments, one indoors and one outdoors. Experiment A examined both gesture detection accuracy and a dog’s ability to perform the gestures using a predetermined routine of cues. Experiment B examined the accuracy of this system on two outdoor working-dog scenarios. The detection mechanism we presented is sufficient to point to improvements into system design and provide valuable insights into which gestures fulfill the seven minimum criteria.
Perception in Hand-Worn Haptics: Placement, Simultaneous Stimuli, and Vibration Motor Comparisons

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2015) Seim, Caitlyn ; Hallam, James ; Raghu, Shashank ; Le, Tri-An ; Bishop, Greg ; Starner, Thad

Glove-based tactile interfaces are used for augmented reality, rehabilitation, teaching, and consumer electronics control. Yet questions remain regarding perception of tactile stimuli on the hands. In an effort to inform the design of such tactile interfaces, we investigate participants' abilities to sense vibration on the hands. First, we examine the effect of stimulus location on recognition accuracy. Ventral (palm-side) placement on the fingers is critical: accuracy increases with proximity to the palm, linearly, on all fingers. Second, we study perception of multiple simultaneous vibrations on the fingers. Recognition degrades with increasing number of simultaneous tactile stimuli and no subitizing is found. Error is >60-80\% for more than two simultaneous stimuli points. Our third study compares the perception of Eccentric Rotating Mass (ERM) and Linear Resonant Actuator (LRA) vibration motors. Recognition accuracy was less using LRA motors, especially in placements on the palm side of the fingers (-20.3% versus -10.1% for ERM). Correct recognition of chords was also less or comparable using LRA motors, suggesting that the ERM motor is preferable.
FIDO—Facilitating interactions for dogs with occupations: wearable communication interfaces for working dogs

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2015-01) Jackson, Melody Moore ; Valentin, Giancarlo ; Freil, Larry ; Burkeen, Lily ; Zeagler, Clint ; Gilliland, Scott ; Currier, Barbara ; Starner, Thad

Working dogs have improved the lives of thousands of people throughout history. However, communication between human and canine partners is currently limited. The main goal of the FIDO project is to research fundamental aspects of wearable technologies to support communication between working dogs and their handlers. In this study, the FIDO team investigated on-body interfaces for dogs in the form of wearable technology integrated into assistance dog vests. We created five different sensors that dogs could activate based on natural dog behaviors such as biting, tugging, and nose touches. We then tested the sensors on-body with eight dogs previously trained for a variety of occupations and compared their effectiveness in several dimensions. We were able to demonstrate that it is possible to create wearable sensors that dogs can reliably activate on command, and to determine cognitive and physical factors that affect dogs’ success with body–worn interaction technology.
Canine Reachability of Snout-based Wearable Inputs

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2014-09) Valentin, Giancarlo ; Alcaidinho, Joelle ; Friel, Larry ; Zeagler, Clint ; Jackson, Melody Moore ; Starner, Thad

We designed an experiment with the goal of assessing wearable reachability for canines. We investigated the effect of placement on the ability of dogs to reach on-body interfaces with their snouts. In our pilot study, seven placements along the front legs, rib cage, hip and chest are tested with six dogs. The results showed that the front leg placements are reachable with the least amount of training and are also the most invariant to small changes in location. With training, the lower half of the rib cage area had the fastest access times across subjects. We hope that these results may be useful in mapping the constraint space of placements for snout interactions.
Design Now: A Panel Discussion

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2013-10-04) Murray, Janet H. ; Zimring, Craig ; Starner, Thad ; Sprigle, Stephen ; Norman, Donald A.

Panel discussion at College of Architecture on technology, evidence-based design, assistive technology, human-centered design. The primary audience will include Industrial Design, Architecture, Human Computer Interaction, Computer Science, and the local ID/HCI community.
An underwater wearable computer for two way human-dolphin communication experimentation

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2013-09) Kohlsdorf, Daniel ; Gilliland, Scott ; Presti, Peter ; Starner, Thad ; Herzing, Denise

Research in dolphin cognition and communication in the wild is still a challenging task for marine biologists. Most problems arise from the uncontrolled nature of field studies and the challenges of building suitable underwater research equipment. We present a novel underwater wearable computer enabling researchers to engage in an audio-based interaction between humans and dolphins. The design requirements are based on a research protocol developed by a team of marine biologists associated with the Wild Dolphin Project.
Facilitating Interactions for Dogs with Occupations: Wearable Dog - Activated Interfaces

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2013-09) Jackson, Melody Moore ; Zeagler, Clint ; Valentin, Giancarlo ; Martin, Alex ; Martin, Vincent ; Delawalla, Adil ; Blount, Wendy ; Eiring, Sarah ; Hollis, Ryan ; Kshirsagar, Yash ; Starner, Thad

Working dogs have improved the lives of thousands of people. However, communication between human and canine partners is currently limited. The main goal of the FIDO project is to research fundamental aspects of wearable technologies to support communication between working dogs and their handlers. In this pilot study, the FIDO team investigated on-body interfaces for assistance dogs in the form of wearable technology integrated into assistance dog vests. We created four different sensors that dogs could activate (based on biting, tugging, and nose gestures) and tested them on-body with three assistance-trained dogs. We were able to demonstrate that it is possible to create wearable sensors that dogs can reliably activate on command.
Can I Wash It? : The Effect of Washing Conductive Materials Used in Making Textile Based Wearable Electronic Interfaces

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2013) Zeagler, Clint ; Gilliland, Scott ; Audy, Stephen ; Starner, Thad

In this paper we explore the wash-ability of conductive materials commonly use in creating traces and touch sensors in wearable electronic textile systems. We performed a wash test measuring change in resistivity of conductive traces constructed using different combinations of conductive materials after each wash cycle.
ITR/SY: a distributed programming infrastructure for integrating smart sensors

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2009-11-30) Ramachandran, Umakishore ; DeWeerth, Stephen P. ; Mackenzie, Kenneth M. ; Starner, Thad ; Hutto, Phil ; Wolenetz, Matt ; Rehg, James M.
Remote control for operator training simulators

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2009-07-14) Starner, Thad