The virtual raft project: a mobile interface for interacting with communities of autonomous characters

ABSTRACT

This paper presents a novel and intuitive paradigm for interacting with autonomous animated characters. This paradigm utilizes a mobile device to allow people to transport characters among different virtual environments. The central metaphor in this paradigm is that virtual space is like land and real space is like water for virtual characters. The tangible interface described here serves as a virtual raft with which people may carry characters across a sea of real space from one virtual island to another. By increasing participants' physical engagement with the autonomous characters, this interaction paradigm contributes to the believability of those characters.

REFERENCES

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.5 INFORMATION INTERFACES AND PRESENTATION (I.7)
      H.5.2 User Interfaces (D.2.2, H.1.2, I.3.6)

Additional Classification:
  I. Computing Methodologies
  I.3 COMPUTER GRAPHICS
      I.3.7 Three-Dimensional Graphics and Realism
          Subjects: Animation

Keywords:
autonomous characters, interactive animation, intuitive interfaces, mobile devices, tangible interfaces