Babak ZiraknejadDesign Machine Group

University of Washington

eFrame!An Interactive Projected Family Wall Frame

Overview:• Previous Projects• Objective, Goals, and Motivation• Introduction• eFrame Concept• Related Work• eFrame Technical Overview • Future Work and Conclusion

Previous ProjectsWindow Seat

Window Seat is as input device that utilizes a web cam, Handy Board, projector, mirror and sensors to project images on the screen for an immersive environment. Designed and constructed as an ordinary rocking chair, made of plywood; that operates as an interface (similar to a joystick) between the user and the web cam to explore virtual or remote locations.

Previous ProjectsTwister Game

Inspired by the recent trends in ubiquitous computing and gamingapplications Twister Game was redesigned and implemented as a computationally enhanced game board. Lights, visual images and sounds were incorporated to attract and motivate family members to collaboratively interact and play this computationally enhanced game.

Previous ProjectsEnergy Conservation Tutor (ECT)

Energy Conservation Tutor is an ambient display device that aims to encourage the residents to be conscious of the amount of electricity consumed at home. ECT generates large, brilliant, and endless unique kaleidoscope-type light patterns on the neighboring walls and ceiling. The less energy consumed in the house the brighter and the more stimulating the patterns of ECT;conversely, the more energy consumed the dimmer and the more diffused the patterns generated.

Shell

Spot Light

Round Plexiglas

Magnifying Glasses

AC/DC Transformer

DC Motor

Prism

Stained Glass & Gemstones

Objective:To establish an interactive wall frame that allows users to interface with their web-based calendar, view digital artwork, and explore unoccupied spaces in a physical environment that is dynamically updated.

Goal:To allow people to interact with computational systems in a manner that they would with ordinary devices or equipment

Motivation:1. To bring typical PC-focused activities

off of a fixed desktop and into the real, physical environment

2. To support and promote collaborative family information sharing and entertainment in a common area at home

Introduction:eFrame is a computationally augmented interactive wall frame that is concerned with smart environments. eFrame aims to bring typical computation into the physical world and off of the desktop in order to support and promote collaborative family information sharing and entertainment in a common area of the house.

Research Question:

Will eFrame reduce time spent at the computer terminal, and provide a more collaborative and reliable reminder system?

eFrame at HomeDisplay and sensor technologies have advanced to the point where it is now possible to create large, interactive displays at home . Several researchers are exploring how such displays can be used in the background to support highly focused collaborative activities.

The user has the option of positioning the projector and eFrame at a location of their choice. Preferably, the location would be in a popular and common area of the house, such as the living room orkitchen.

eFrame

Ceiling Projector

eFrame Concept

•Share family on-line calendar in an interactive planning medium•have an interactive wall frame that allows the users to change the contents as desired.•Access to digital artwork and family online photo album to provide entertaining and engaging animations and still photos while in hibernation mode (proximity sensor)•automatically display calendar daily tasks upon arrival at home•monitor the unoccupied spaces as well as notify who is at the front door, at the user’s request

eFrame provides the ability to:

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Related Work

The EasyLiving project is concerned with the development of architecture and technologies for intelligent environments which allow the dynamic aggregation of diverse I/O devices into a single coherent user experience. eFrame projects information also but does not use a keyboard or a mouse

EasyLiving: Technologies for Intelligent EnvironmentsBarry Brumitt, Brian Meyers, John Krumm, Amanda Kern, Steven Shafer, Microsoft

Related WorkWindow Seat: Yeonjoo Oh, Doo Young Kwon, Babak Ziraknejad, Jennifer Lewis, Ken Camarata, Ellen Yi- Luen Do, Mark D Gross, University of Washington, 2002

Window Seat is an interactive furniture piece that acts as a control mechanism for viewing and navigating remote or non-existent locations; such as a scale model of a building or virtual world.eFrame also enables the user to monitor unoccupied spaces

Related WorkLumiTouch: An Emotional Communication Device

Angela Chang, Ben Resner, Brad Koerner, XingChen Wang, and Hiroshi Ishii, MIT Media Lab and Harvard University

Lumitouch system consistsof a pair of interactive pictureframes. With the use of Internet,when one user touches a picture frame, the remote frame lightsup. The touch is translated to lightover an Internet connection.Similarly, eFrame is touch-sensitive

eFrame Technical OvervieweFrame implicit input capabilities sense family members’

presence and consequently, loads up their web-based online calendar onto the wall frame upon entry.

eFrame is composed of various components. The overhead projector is used to reflect the information onto a 28”X40” wallframe. A Handy Board facilitates the communication between the sensors and the computer through the wires.

eFrame Technical Overview (Continued)

Programming codes, touch-sensitive buttons, and a wheel on the actual wall frame allow the user to manipulate and execute predefined tasks to interact with eFrame.

eFrame Technical Overview (Continued)

eFrame can detect the users arrival as she/he parks their car in the garage. The program automatically loads up the online calendar for the family members to view shared activities and daily tasks.

eFrame Technical Overview (Continued)

The buttons incorporated on the eFrame allow the users to override or independently operate the unit with or without relying on the cars in the garage.

eFrame Technical Overview (Continued)

TrafficCalendar Portfolio WheelFavorite Photos Hibern. Web Cam Power

In hibernation mode, eFrame automatically loads up digital images and animations based on temperature, amount of light, or the users’ selection.

Additionally, the user may opt to bring the web cams online to get a glance of what is going on outside.

eFrame Technical Overview (Continued)

eFrame!

Pressure Sensors

eFrame

Ceiling Projector

WiresHandy board

Computer

8 Samples of what may be viewed on eFrame

Animation

Animation

Front door

Online Calendar

Future Work and Conclusion• Since wired interfaces are often cumbersome, limiting,

and unattractive, eFrame aims to implement wireless technology

• To have edit capabilities (remote controlled menu-driven option)

• E-mail, read capability and voice activated reply• To detect unregistered users as they attempt to

approach the house• A smart projecting switching system that detects what

room is occupied in order to transfer information to the occupied spaces and automatically turn off units in the unoccupied spaces