Computer science researchers at the University of Waterloo have created a smart desk and chair that responds intuitively to user actions, such as projecting important information onto an office wall when the user turns away from the desk, or recommending regular breaks to maintain physical and mental health. health.
The project is part of the study of spatial augmented reality, a method of merging the real and virtual worlds by overlaying computer content on surfaces using one or more digital projectors.
“Let’s say you’re leaning forward in your office chair,” says Nikita Joshi, a graduate student at the Cheriton School of Computer Science in Waterloo and lead researcher on the project. “Forward leaning indicates you’re on a task or meeting with a colleague. A spatial augmented reality system can detect where you’re sitting and the position of your office chair, and then use those inputs to zoom in and project the digital content you’re in .discussing with your colleague on the wall.”
The prototype table and chair includes sensors mounted on the seat, backrest and armrests, a camera that tracks the position of the chair, a moving projector that displays data on the surface, and a tiny embedded computer that processes all the information.
This technology can make office work more efficient and intuitive. It can display notifications and alerts during brainstorming sessions, project grids or charts onto a whiteboard, and even encourage deep breathing exercises when users lean back from the monitor for a physical break.
Waterloo computer science professor Daniel Vogel said the augmented reality chair could be useful in other situations as well. “The doctor’s chair can be equipped with devices to project the patient’s medical records or diagnostic test results onto the wall while the doctor performs certain movements in the chair.”
A paper was recently published detailing the study, which won the best paper award at the 2022 ACM Symposium on User Interaction in Space.
The University of Waterloo recognizes that much of our work takes place in the traditional territories of the Neutral Nation, the Anishinaabeg and the Hoodsoni Nation. Our main campus is located on Haldimand Road, which is land granted to the Six Nations, six miles on either side of the Rio Grande. We are actively involved in reconciliation work on our campuses through research, learning, teaching and community building, with a particular focus on our Office of Indigenous Relations.
Post time: Mar-18-2023