Touch·Sensitive is a haptic apparel that allows massage therapy to be diffused, customized and co... more Touch·Sensitive is a haptic apparel that allows massage therapy to be diffused, customized and controlled by people while on the move. It provides individuals with a sensory cocoon. Made of modular garments, Touch·Sensitive applies personalized stimuli. We present the design process and a series of low fidelity prototypes that lead us to the Touch·Sensitive Apparel.
Design of technologies that facilitate the process between improvisation and publication My prior... more Design of technologies that facilitate the process between improvisation and publication My prior research has been concerned with the underlying mechanisms regarding the improvisation of narratives by children and the way they integrate their beliefs about the world during this process [6, 7, 8, 9], the modifications made by computational customized toys on these narratives in order to prompt reflection on what has been improvised [6, 7], the reflections that occur while they share their narratives [7, 9], or create movies in real time according to their stories, or play games [4], and the perspective transformations of their beliefs during this process (see Figure 1). I have also been researching on technologies that drive the students to learn that the content and creative ideas could drive self-expression by developing a mobile, tangible, easy-to-use, loop-based music mixing interface for children in which students consider issues of composition, musicianship, and improvisation in modern music, build sampled music (without requiring any technical and musical skills) and understand how mathematical concepts apply to music [10]. My past research has also been concerned with the transformation of the space using technology. I have explored communication and aesthetic channels such as devices that enhance remote telecommunication. The system designed provides a sense of the presence and activities of remote users through a ball floating in the air [11]; designed a video background behind virtual agents to create a sense of shared space between the agent and the user [6, 12]; created a physical interface to interact with the agent in a " natural " and " transparent " way [12]; inspired by the experimental cinema works of Kenneth Anger 1 in which the rhythm between music and images is synchronized the soundtracks being mapped onto the video, I have explored the concept of the relationship between audio and video co-controlled by an audience in which the video is controlled by a soundtrack [13]; explored how to enhance social interactions in developing a shared video space co-controlled by physical objects in which participants wield magic wands and practice wizardry [14]; created an online 'adaptable' space for children to integrate the activities of play and video editing into a never-ending process of mixing and 'subversion' of each other's material, encouraging playful collaboration in an exchange network of unique media artefacts [5] (see Figure 2). I have worked on transforming urban spaces like bus stops or train stations through …
In this thesis, i articulate a theory of how and why individuals use context to convey only a fac... more In this thesis, i articulate a theory of how and why individuals use context to convey only a facet of their identity in social interactions. Through this lens, i discuss current issues in digital identity management. In this discussion, i focus on the role of design in affecting an individual's ability to maintain control of personal representation and identity information. I argue that the architecture of current digital environments has altered our notions of context, motivating users to develop new mechanisms for managing their presentation. I take the stance that users should have the ability to control their digital identity for the same reasons that they seek to control their physical identity, most notably to present themselves in an appropriate manner in relation to the current situation. From this perspective, i argue for a design approach that will aid sociable designers in developing human-centered technologies that allow for individual control over personal identity. First, i argue the need for mechanisms of self-awareness and discuss what forms of awareness users should have. In doing so, i analyze current approaches to awareness and critique my own work on Social Network Fragments, a visualization tool for revealing the structure of one's digital social network. Alongside self-awareness, i present the need for identity management and critique my work on SecureId, a prototype intended to give users control over their digital presentation by offering security through identity-based knowledge. This thesis argues for empowering users through awareness and control, so that they may provide the level of regulation that is desirable. In doing so, i offer a novel approach to context and identity management in digital social interaction.
Play it by eye, frame it by hand! ... Tangible technologies to construct finalized video work fro... more Play it by eye, frame it by hand! ... Tangible technologies to construct finalized video work from uninterrupted improvisation and play ... Thesis Proposal for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Media Arts & Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cati Vaucelle Tangible ...
Abstract—A growing body of evidence supports touch-based therapy for assisting sensory issues ste... more Abstract—A growing body of evidence supports touch-based therapy for assisting sensory issues stemming from common social and psychological problems. Simulating touch through haptic devices can complement existing treatments for mental illness by providing soothing ...
The use of natural language should be added to a robot system without sacrificing responsiveness ... more The use of natural language should be added to a robot system without sacrificing responsiveness to the environment. In this paper, we present a robot that manipulates objects on a tabletop in response to verbal interaction. Reactivity is maintained by using concurrent interaction ...
Literacy learning - learning how to read and write, begins long before children enter school. One... more Literacy learning - learning how to read and write, begins long before children enter school. One of the key skills to reading and writing is the ability to represent thoughts symbolically and share them in language with an audience who may not necessarily share the same temporal and spatial context for the story. Children learn and practice these important language skills everyday, telling stories with the peers and adults around them. In particular, storytelling in the context of peer collaboration provides a key environment for children to learn language skills important for literacy. In light of this, we designed Sam, an embodied conversational agent who tells stories collaboratively with children. Sam was designed to look like a peer for preschool children, but to tell stories in a developmentally advanced way: modeling narrative skills important for literacy.
In this paper, we describe an embodied conversational kiosk that builds on research in embodied c... more In this paper, we describe an embodied conversational kiosk that builds on research in embodied conversational agents (ECAs) and on information displays in mixed reality and kiosk format in order to display spatial intelligence. ECAs leverage people's abilities to coordinate information displayed in multiple modalities, particularly information conveyed in speech and gesture. Mixed reality depends on users' interactions with everyday objects that are enhanced with computational overlays. We describe an implementation, MACK (Media lab Autonomous Conversational Kiosk), an ECA who can answer questions about and give directions to the MIT Media Lab's various research groups, projects and people. MACK uses a combination of speech, gesture, and indications on a normal paper map that users place on a table between themselves and MACK. Research issues involve users' differential attention to hand gestures, speech and the map, and flexible architectures for Embodied Conversational Agents that allow these modalities to be fused in input and generation.
This paper presents Hover, a device that enhances remote telecommunication by providing a sense o... more This paper presents Hover, a device that enhances remote telecommunication by providing a sense of the activity and presence of remote users. The movement of a remote person is manifested as the playful movements of a ball floating in midair. Hover is both a communication medium and an aesthetic object.
Proceedings of the 27th international conference extended abstracts on Human factors in computing systems - CHI EA '09, 2009
In this paper we present the design of a cost-effective wearable sensor to detect and indicate th... more In this paper we present the design of a cost-effective wearable sensor to detect and indicate the strength and other characteristics of the electric field emanating from a laptop display. Our Electromagnetic Field Detector Bracelet can provide an immediate awareness of electric fields radiated from an object used frequently. Our technology thus supports awareness of ambient background emanation beyond human perception. We discuss how detection of such radiation might help to "fingerprint" devices and aid in applications that require determination of indoor location.
CHI '06 Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 2006
ABSTRACT TapTap is a wearable haptic system that allows nurturing human touch to be recorded, bro... more ABSTRACT TapTap is a wearable haptic system that allows nurturing human touch to be recorded, broadcast and played back for emotional th erapy. Haptic input/output modules in a convenient modular scarf provide affectionate touch that can be personalized. We present a working prototype informed by a pilot study.
CHI '06 Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 2006
ABSTRACT PlayPals are a set of wireless figurines with their electronic accessories that provide ... more ABSTRACT PlayPals are a set of wireless figurines with their electronic accessories that provide children with a playful way to communicate between remote locations. PlayPals is designed for children aged 5-8 to share multimedia experiences and virtual co-presence. We learned from our pilot study that embedding digital communication into existing play pattern enhances both remote play and communication.
Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 2009
The MIT Faculty has made this article openly available. Please share how this access benefits you... more The MIT Faculty has made this article openly available. Please share how this access benefits you. Your story matters.
ACM SIGGRAPH 2007 educators program on - SIGGRAPH '07, 2007
Children in our culture are accustomed to creating people and things and places---with implied co... more Children in our culture are accustomed to creating people and things and places---with implied context---in their drawings. Since the first days they draw, parents will ask "who is that? Where are they? What are they doing?" From early on, children have learned through drawing to provide the information necessary for an audience to understand the story that is going on in their drawing. Conversely, learning how to contextualize an oral or written story in the absence of images is a much slower learning process for children, and children's ability to use language to communicate when and where their story takes place is considered a milestone in literacy development [Snow 1983].
ACM SIGGRAPH 2005 Educators program on - SIGGRAPH '05, 2005
In this paper, the authors present Moving Pictures: Looking Out/Looking In, a robust, tangible, m... more In this paper, the authors present Moving Pictures: Looking Out/Looking In, a robust, tangible, multiuser system that invites young users to create, explore, manipulate and share video content with others. Moving Pictures enables a meaningful, spontaneous and collaborative approach to video creation, selection and sequencing. The authors discuss their motivation in relationship to research in the domain of video editing. Their contribution in the domain of tangible interfaces for constructionist learning has been introduced with the implementation of participatory design sessions. They discuss workshop studies with 10-12 years old children from Sweden and Ireland playing with the Moving Pictures system.
This poster presents a new approach to creating video stories at an art, science and technology e... more This poster presents a new approach to creating video stories at an art, science and technology exhibition. Within the context of an interactive exhibition space, dividing the tasks of recording and editing of digital media between production and post-production can be disruptive to the visitors' experience. Terraria is a graphical and tangible interface which synthesizes performance and editing into a simultaneous act. Pilot studies suggested that young users find this integrated interface engaging for the performance and visualization of movies in real time.
Proceedings of the SIGGRAPH 2003 conference on Sketches & applications in conjunction with the 30th annual conference on Computer graphics and interactive techniques - GRAPH '03, 2003
This sketch presents a real-time system that aims to bridge a gap between machine listening techn... more This sketch presents a real-time system that aims to bridge a gap between machine listening technology, and self-editing, selfsynchronizing video: a movie organizes itself from "listening" to music. In our current demonstration, a series of short video clips of "Cati" dancing, originally shot at different tempi, are arbitrarily sequenced, always in sync with the analyzed beat, i.e., if the music slows down, the dance slows down accordingly. When no beat is found, e.g., the music is mellow, then Cati stops dancing and waits, apparently bored.
ACM SIGGRAPH 2006 Research posters on - SIGGRAPH '06, 2006
1 Abstract The Texture of Light is research on lighting principles and the exploration of life fe... more 1 Abstract The Texture of Light is research on lighting principles and the exploration of life feed video metamorphosis in the public space using reflection of light on transparent materials. The Texture of Light is an attempt to fight the boredom of everyday life. This project employs ...
ACM SIGGRAPH 2006 Sketches on - SIGGRAPH '06, 2006
Most tactile interfaces rely on discrete, abstract feedback despite the distributed and affective... more Most tactile interfaces rely on discrete, abstract feedback despite the distributed and affective nature of touch. Haptic devices are often hand-held, like video game controllers; and abstract, so that a vibration in your hand represents a collision on the screen. Haptic ...
Touch·Sensitive is a haptic apparel that allows massage therapy to be diffused, customized and co... more Touch·Sensitive is a haptic apparel that allows massage therapy to be diffused, customized and controlled by people while on the move. It provides individuals with a sensory cocoon. Made of modular garments, Touch·Sensitive applies personalized stimuli. We present the design process and a series of low fidelity prototypes that lead us to the Touch·Sensitive Apparel.
Design of technologies that facilitate the process between improvisation and publication My prior... more Design of technologies that facilitate the process between improvisation and publication My prior research has been concerned with the underlying mechanisms regarding the improvisation of narratives by children and the way they integrate their beliefs about the world during this process [6, 7, 8, 9], the modifications made by computational customized toys on these narratives in order to prompt reflection on what has been improvised [6, 7], the reflections that occur while they share their narratives [7, 9], or create movies in real time according to their stories, or play games [4], and the perspective transformations of their beliefs during this process (see Figure 1). I have also been researching on technologies that drive the students to learn that the content and creative ideas could drive self-expression by developing a mobile, tangible, easy-to-use, loop-based music mixing interface for children in which students consider issues of composition, musicianship, and improvisation in modern music, build sampled music (without requiring any technical and musical skills) and understand how mathematical concepts apply to music [10]. My past research has also been concerned with the transformation of the space using technology. I have explored communication and aesthetic channels such as devices that enhance remote telecommunication. The system designed provides a sense of the presence and activities of remote users through a ball floating in the air [11]; designed a video background behind virtual agents to create a sense of shared space between the agent and the user [6, 12]; created a physical interface to interact with the agent in a " natural " and " transparent " way [12]; inspired by the experimental cinema works of Kenneth Anger 1 in which the rhythm between music and images is synchronized the soundtracks being mapped onto the video, I have explored the concept of the relationship between audio and video co-controlled by an audience in which the video is controlled by a soundtrack [13]; explored how to enhance social interactions in developing a shared video space co-controlled by physical objects in which participants wield magic wands and practice wizardry [14]; created an online 'adaptable' space for children to integrate the activities of play and video editing into a never-ending process of mixing and 'subversion' of each other's material, encouraging playful collaboration in an exchange network of unique media artefacts [5] (see Figure 2). I have worked on transforming urban spaces like bus stops or train stations through …
In this thesis, i articulate a theory of how and why individuals use context to convey only a fac... more In this thesis, i articulate a theory of how and why individuals use context to convey only a facet of their identity in social interactions. Through this lens, i discuss current issues in digital identity management. In this discussion, i focus on the role of design in affecting an individual's ability to maintain control of personal representation and identity information. I argue that the architecture of current digital environments has altered our notions of context, motivating users to develop new mechanisms for managing their presentation. I take the stance that users should have the ability to control their digital identity for the same reasons that they seek to control their physical identity, most notably to present themselves in an appropriate manner in relation to the current situation. From this perspective, i argue for a design approach that will aid sociable designers in developing human-centered technologies that allow for individual control over personal identity. First, i argue the need for mechanisms of self-awareness and discuss what forms of awareness users should have. In doing so, i analyze current approaches to awareness and critique my own work on Social Network Fragments, a visualization tool for revealing the structure of one's digital social network. Alongside self-awareness, i present the need for identity management and critique my work on SecureId, a prototype intended to give users control over their digital presentation by offering security through identity-based knowledge. This thesis argues for empowering users through awareness and control, so that they may provide the level of regulation that is desirable. In doing so, i offer a novel approach to context and identity management in digital social interaction.
Play it by eye, frame it by hand! ... Tangible technologies to construct finalized video work fro... more Play it by eye, frame it by hand! ... Tangible technologies to construct finalized video work from uninterrupted improvisation and play ... Thesis Proposal for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Media Arts & Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cati Vaucelle Tangible ...
Abstract—A growing body of evidence supports touch-based therapy for assisting sensory issues ste... more Abstract—A growing body of evidence supports touch-based therapy for assisting sensory issues stemming from common social and psychological problems. Simulating touch through haptic devices can complement existing treatments for mental illness by providing soothing ...
The use of natural language should be added to a robot system without sacrificing responsiveness ... more The use of natural language should be added to a robot system without sacrificing responsiveness to the environment. In this paper, we present a robot that manipulates objects on a tabletop in response to verbal interaction. Reactivity is maintained by using concurrent interaction ...
Literacy learning - learning how to read and write, begins long before children enter school. One... more Literacy learning - learning how to read and write, begins long before children enter school. One of the key skills to reading and writing is the ability to represent thoughts symbolically and share them in language with an audience who may not necessarily share the same temporal and spatial context for the story. Children learn and practice these important language skills everyday, telling stories with the peers and adults around them. In particular, storytelling in the context of peer collaboration provides a key environment for children to learn language skills important for literacy. In light of this, we designed Sam, an embodied conversational agent who tells stories collaboratively with children. Sam was designed to look like a peer for preschool children, but to tell stories in a developmentally advanced way: modeling narrative skills important for literacy.
In this paper, we describe an embodied conversational kiosk that builds on research in embodied c... more In this paper, we describe an embodied conversational kiosk that builds on research in embodied conversational agents (ECAs) and on information displays in mixed reality and kiosk format in order to display spatial intelligence. ECAs leverage people's abilities to coordinate information displayed in multiple modalities, particularly information conveyed in speech and gesture. Mixed reality depends on users' interactions with everyday objects that are enhanced with computational overlays. We describe an implementation, MACK (Media lab Autonomous Conversational Kiosk), an ECA who can answer questions about and give directions to the MIT Media Lab's various research groups, projects and people. MACK uses a combination of speech, gesture, and indications on a normal paper map that users place on a table between themselves and MACK. Research issues involve users' differential attention to hand gestures, speech and the map, and flexible architectures for Embodied Conversational Agents that allow these modalities to be fused in input and generation.
This paper presents Hover, a device that enhances remote telecommunication by providing a sense o... more This paper presents Hover, a device that enhances remote telecommunication by providing a sense of the activity and presence of remote users. The movement of a remote person is manifested as the playful movements of a ball floating in midair. Hover is both a communication medium and an aesthetic object.
Proceedings of the 27th international conference extended abstracts on Human factors in computing systems - CHI EA '09, 2009
In this paper we present the design of a cost-effective wearable sensor to detect and indicate th... more In this paper we present the design of a cost-effective wearable sensor to detect and indicate the strength and other characteristics of the electric field emanating from a laptop display. Our Electromagnetic Field Detector Bracelet can provide an immediate awareness of electric fields radiated from an object used frequently. Our technology thus supports awareness of ambient background emanation beyond human perception. We discuss how detection of such radiation might help to "fingerprint" devices and aid in applications that require determination of indoor location.
CHI '06 Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 2006
ABSTRACT TapTap is a wearable haptic system that allows nurturing human touch to be recorded, bro... more ABSTRACT TapTap is a wearable haptic system that allows nurturing human touch to be recorded, broadcast and played back for emotional th erapy. Haptic input/output modules in a convenient modular scarf provide affectionate touch that can be personalized. We present a working prototype informed by a pilot study.
CHI '06 Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 2006
ABSTRACT PlayPals are a set of wireless figurines with their electronic accessories that provide ... more ABSTRACT PlayPals are a set of wireless figurines with their electronic accessories that provide children with a playful way to communicate between remote locations. PlayPals is designed for children aged 5-8 to share multimedia experiences and virtual co-presence. We learned from our pilot study that embedding digital communication into existing play pattern enhances both remote play and communication.
Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 2009
The MIT Faculty has made this article openly available. Please share how this access benefits you... more The MIT Faculty has made this article openly available. Please share how this access benefits you. Your story matters.
ACM SIGGRAPH 2007 educators program on - SIGGRAPH '07, 2007
Children in our culture are accustomed to creating people and things and places---with implied co... more Children in our culture are accustomed to creating people and things and places---with implied context---in their drawings. Since the first days they draw, parents will ask "who is that? Where are they? What are they doing?" From early on, children have learned through drawing to provide the information necessary for an audience to understand the story that is going on in their drawing. Conversely, learning how to contextualize an oral or written story in the absence of images is a much slower learning process for children, and children's ability to use language to communicate when and where their story takes place is considered a milestone in literacy development [Snow 1983].
ACM SIGGRAPH 2005 Educators program on - SIGGRAPH '05, 2005
In this paper, the authors present Moving Pictures: Looking Out/Looking In, a robust, tangible, m... more In this paper, the authors present Moving Pictures: Looking Out/Looking In, a robust, tangible, multiuser system that invites young users to create, explore, manipulate and share video content with others. Moving Pictures enables a meaningful, spontaneous and collaborative approach to video creation, selection and sequencing. The authors discuss their motivation in relationship to research in the domain of video editing. Their contribution in the domain of tangible interfaces for constructionist learning has been introduced with the implementation of participatory design sessions. They discuss workshop studies with 10-12 years old children from Sweden and Ireland playing with the Moving Pictures system.
This poster presents a new approach to creating video stories at an art, science and technology e... more This poster presents a new approach to creating video stories at an art, science and technology exhibition. Within the context of an interactive exhibition space, dividing the tasks of recording and editing of digital media between production and post-production can be disruptive to the visitors' experience. Terraria is a graphical and tangible interface which synthesizes performance and editing into a simultaneous act. Pilot studies suggested that young users find this integrated interface engaging for the performance and visualization of movies in real time.
Proceedings of the SIGGRAPH 2003 conference on Sketches & applications in conjunction with the 30th annual conference on Computer graphics and interactive techniques - GRAPH '03, 2003
This sketch presents a real-time system that aims to bridge a gap between machine listening techn... more This sketch presents a real-time system that aims to bridge a gap between machine listening technology, and self-editing, selfsynchronizing video: a movie organizes itself from "listening" to music. In our current demonstration, a series of short video clips of "Cati" dancing, originally shot at different tempi, are arbitrarily sequenced, always in sync with the analyzed beat, i.e., if the music slows down, the dance slows down accordingly. When no beat is found, e.g., the music is mellow, then Cati stops dancing and waits, apparently bored.
ACM SIGGRAPH 2006 Research posters on - SIGGRAPH '06, 2006
1 Abstract The Texture of Light is research on lighting principles and the exploration of life fe... more 1 Abstract The Texture of Light is research on lighting principles and the exploration of life feed video metamorphosis in the public space using reflection of light on transparent materials. The Texture of Light is an attempt to fight the boredom of everyday life. This project employs ...
ACM SIGGRAPH 2006 Sketches on - SIGGRAPH '06, 2006
Most tactile interfaces rely on discrete, abstract feedback despite the distributed and affective... more Most tactile interfaces rely on discrete, abstract feedback despite the distributed and affective nature of touch. Haptic devices are often hand-held, like video game controllers; and abstract, so that a vibration in your hand represents a collision on the screen. Haptic ...
Uploads
Papers by Cati Boulanger