Explorative study towards the integration and combination of three technologies into a virtual control system

Explorative study towards the integration and combination of three technologies into a virtual control system

Spel, Bart (TU Delft Industrial Design Engineering)

van Heur, Rudolf (mentor)
Horvath, Imre (mentor)
Eijkelenboom, Ad (mentor)

Delft University of Technology

Integrated Product Design

2019-12-18

Interacting with holograms is something which is widely speculated about. Combining holographic projections with haptic feedback and gesture control might bring this concept closer to reality. This project aims at exploring the possibilities of combining these three technologies into a combined virtual control system. Project owner Safran initiated the project concerning the combination of three technologies into a single virtual control system. This system could provide added value to a lavatory environment by enabling the passenger to open a door without having to physically touch the unhygienic surface. An analysis phase was concluded investigating the different individual technologies and their respective maturities. Conclusions were drawn based on the ability of the components to be integrated into a system operating in a single volume of space. Next to the technological aspects, business, user and environmental aspects were analysed in order to create a better understanding of the aerospace market, the potential target group and the operational environment. Trends were used to indicate potential opportunities and the user and environmental analysis formed the basis for further conceptualisation. Different application environments were explored together with respective scenarios. A lavatory implementation was selected as the preferred context for the creation of a functional prototype. The detailing selected an ultrasound transducer array as carrier for the haptic component. An eye-tracking stereoscopic display was selected as the carrier for the holographic component. Finally a camera based sensor using a skeletal algorithm was selected as the most suitable carrier for the gesture component. An architecture was proposed combining these technologies into a single system. The interface was designed for the selected context in order for the development of a demonstrator. The prototype was created in collaboration with Dimenco, the developer of the Simulated Reality (SR) development kit, an eye-tracking stereoscopic screen. The SR kit was combined with the already acquired Ultrahaptics transducer board and a Leap Motion sensor to start building the proof of concept. The projections were aligned in order for the user to perceive the designed interface in a single volume of space. Functionality was added and visual polishing concluded the creation of the demonstrator. The demonstrator showed the combination of the three technologies into a single interface which allowed the user to interact with a lavatory door. Test results indicated a good understanding of the 3D system with intuitive reactions without additional instructions. However more research is required to prove the viability of a virtual control system in an aircraft environment. Weight and cost play an important factor in the industry, both have to be optimised in order for the system to become viable. The thesis concluded with suggestions for further development.

Virtual
Control
System
Holographic
Ultrasound haptics
Stereoscopy
Gesture control
Lavatory
Aircraft environment

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:d688f5eb-023e-4366-90af-6effdcf673ac

Student theses

master thesis

© 2019 Bart Spel