Themes of Research

　In our group "Gr.1", we have been developing framework which is applicable to various portable equipment for mobile MR systems. Our framework can absorb differences of performance and functional capability of equipments and provide independence from applications. We designed the framework as a server-client architecture and implement some mobile MR systems for validating and improving the framework. Also, as one of registration methods, we propounded semi-fiducial invisibly coded symbols (SFINCS) that are able to achieve a good balance between elegance with regard to the environment and robust registration. Additionally, as a registration method for mobile devices in mixed reality, we have developed the geometric registration mechanism based on client server model.

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　The main focuses in Gr.2 are technological development of Mixed Reality (MR) and Diminished Reality (DR), which is an advanced form of MR. DR refers to technologies to visually diminish, eliminate, or see through target objects from a video stream in real time. Because the main focus of MR is to seamlessly superimpose CGI onto a video stream, DR is conceptually opposite to MR. Gr.2 is engaged on the following studies; Studio design and construction for DR experiments, DR using Light Field Rendering, effective use of planar structure of hidden area, representation method of semi-transparent objects named Half-DR, and vision-based camera pose estimation.

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　In our group "Gr.3", we study the future user interface being free from the traditional displays and graphical user interfaces (GUI). You will see the scene of the actor using a future computer by gesturing in the movie of "Minority Report" and "Ironman". "WATARI system" enables users to interact with virtual objects projected on wall-screen and tabletop-screen, through the such gestures. We have developed casual tool resembling input devices named as "ToolDevice" for supposing to be widely used in mixed reality space. We also have been studying the relation between visual percsption and haptic perception through use of MR technologies including how we feel when touching a real object while seeing virtual object is superimposed onto it.

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　Traditional research of the MR (Mixed Reality) was focused on the merge of the visual. Therefore, our group studies about MR system which merged the real and virtual worlds in both the audio and visual senses. Specifically, we have two types of research. "New 3-dimensional sound field reproduction technique" is a research to enable several people experience auditory MR in free position at once by using parametric loudspeakers instead of headphone. "Sound Visualization" is a research to support building the new 3-dimensional sound field reproduction technique and increase the expressive by visualizing the sound with computer graphics. By realizing these, we aim to construct the advanced MR system which integrated both the audio and visual senses.

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