Daily Note: Cross-Reality and 3D Representation in Sensor Networks

These notes are a summary of concepts presented in “Metaphor and Manifestation Cross-Reality with Ubiquitous Sensor/Actuator Networks.”

J. Lifton, M. Laibowitz, D. Harry, N. -W. Gong, M. Mittal and J. A. Paradiso, “Metaphor and Manifestation Cross-Reality with Ubiquitous Sensor/Actuator Networks,” in IEEE Pervasive Computing, vol. 8, no. 3, pp. 24-33, July-Sept. 2009, doi: 10.1109/MPRV.2009.49.

  1. Advantages of 3D Representation
    • Enables dynamic viewpoint changes
    • Leverages spatial intuitions through recognizable 3D realizations
    • Enhances interaction with data by instantiating it in familiar, real-world spatial contexts
  2. Concept of “Hyper Reality”
    • Combines cached and interpreted real-world data for immersive experience
    • Acts as a bridge between physical and virtual environments
  3. Power Strips as Sensor Platforms
    • Ubiquitous in offices and homes, ideal for sensor integration
    • Equipped with
      • Sensors for light, vibration, sound, and AC current draw
      • Low-power radios for communication with wireless and wearable devices
    • Visualizes real-time data from the power strip network
  4. Integration of Virtual and Physical Devices
    • Virtual widgets communicating with real-world data and devices
    • Physical devices interacting with virtual environments
    • Concept of “scalable virtuality,” maintaining continuous interworld connections via sensor networks
  5. Design of Cross-Reality I/O Devices
    • Facilitates rich, two-way interaction between virtual and real worlds
    • Features include
      • Environmental sensors for motion, light, sound, vibration, temperature, and humidity
      • Active IR links for communication with badges and portals
  6. Prototype Badge for Dynamic Privacy Control
    • Transmits an ID and key to control information streamed by portals
    • Features an immediate blackout button to disable all proximate audio and video
  7. Mobile Browsing and Interaction with Sensor Networks
    • Device 1
      • Uses radio signal strength for coarse localization
      • Rotates and zooms maps to align with real-world coordinates
      • Allows data plotting from specific nodes via touch
    • Device 2
      • Acts as a programmable interface to sensor networks
      • Adjusts parameters and rules for sensor interaction
  8. Immersive Virtual Worlds as a Unifying Layer
    • Merges sensed phenomena with virtual constructs
    • Processes, interprets, and projects real-world data into augmented realities
    • Builds an accessible medium where real-world phenomena and information constructs intersect seamlessly
  9. Future Directions
    • A medium that unifies real-world data with virtual representations
    • Creates a crossroad for collective human perception and pervasive sensor networks