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Student Innovation Challenge

Phase 1: Virtual part of the Challenge

We received seven submission for the Student Innovation Challenge, of which six were selected for phase 1: the virtual stage of the Challenge. These were the six teams competing in phase 1:

Team KimoChi: Enhancing User Experience in Headset-Based Interactions through the Synergistic Effects of Audio and Haptic Cues

The Razer headset can use vibrations to convey emotions and sentiments during conversations, helping identify the speaker’s mood. This feature is especially useful in individual mode, which can create a more immersive and engaging experience, as shown in Figure 1. For example, during socializing between family members, friends, or couples, haptic feedback can simulate emotions such as love, anger, or a handshake.

On the other hand, the haptic SenseGloves can simulate physical interactions, such as handshakes, high-fives, or fist bumps. This feature can provide users with a more immersive experience and make them feel more present during the conversation. In group mode with multiple participants, haptic feedback can be used to inform speakers of occurrences and the user’s virtual location.

The proposed system offers two modes of operation. The individual and group mode, depending on the context and type of interaction. In individual mode, the focus is on conveying emotions and sensations through haptic feedback. In contrast, the group mode focuses on providing users with information on the events occurring during the meeting. For instance, in large virtual meetings, it can be challenging to keep track of who is speaking and who wants to contribute to the conversation. However, the use of haptic feedback can help users stay engaged with the meeting and reduce the risk of confusion and disengagement.

In conclusion, the implementation of audio and haptic cues in virtual communication can significantly improve the overall experience of users in both individual and group modes. Incorporating these features can provide users with sensory input that helps them express themselves more effectively and feel more present and engaged. As virtual communication continues to be a crucial part of our lives, it is essential to continue developing and improving the technology behind it, and audio and haptic cues will undoubtedly play a crucial role in this process.

Team Reshape: Non-verbal communication in a virtual group setting

Have you ever tried to get the attention of a colleague who wasn’t facing you by tapping on the table? Or shift your attention as someone walks into a room? These are often described as non-verbal social cues which given the individuals and the group an awareness of one another. With this proposal, we are interested in injecting such cues into a virtual group environment through a combination of audio, vibrotactile and force feedback delivered through avRazer headset and a SenseGlove. The team will focus on operating in a lower perceptual intensity of haptic feedback to avoid intrusive/distracting feedback. By focusing on both non-verbal one-on-one and one-to-many interactions, we envision to enrich social interaction in a virtual group environment

Team SimOnVR: A High-Five Social Gaming Experience

SimOn is a modern take on the classic game Simon that utilizes hand tracking technology to create an immersive and engaging VR gaming experience. Players are assigned a specific color and work as a team to use high-five gestures to replicate the visual and auditory sequence, Figure 1. Hand tracking technology maps hand movements to the virtual environment to support interactions. The high-five interactions create a sense of connection and engagement between players, making SimOn a social and collaborative gaming experience. SimOn is designed to be more inclusive for players with disabilities or mobility issues, as the hand tracking technology eliminates the need for handheld controllers or other input devices. The simple color palette ensures maximum visibility and contrast for all players. SimOn offers a fun and accessible gaming experience for players of all abilities.

Team VirtuOp:

Introducing VirtuOp, the revolutionary Virtual Operating Room for Surgical Training. With surgical students in need of a reliable and immersive simulation system for surgical training, VirtuOp aims to deliver a surgical simulation system that facilitates remote training and collaboration, allowing students to connect with teachers and peers from anywhere in the world. VirtuOp will provide students with a realistic surgical experience, using virtual reality technology and haptic feedback to allow them to learn and practice in a safe and controlled environment before performing real-life surgical procedures on patients. This innovative system will incorporate a virtual connection platform that enables real-time collaboration and communication between students and teachers. Students will be able to participate in training sessions, interact with other students and teachers, and receive feedback on their performance. Teachers will be able to monitor and evaluate student progress, provide guidance, and assess surgical proficiency. By incorporating virtual connections into our surgical simulation system, VirtuOp aims to provide students with a comprehensive and accessible training experience that prepares them for real-world surgical procedures.

Team Amrita: Scaffolding work: Skill Training Solutions

Scaffolds can provide safe access and a stable working platform that allows for fast and efficient construction. However, scaffolding as a job is a highly risky and physically demanding task with numerous subtleties that are difficult to master. Unfortunately, in many instances, faulty scaffolding led to widespread workplace injuries and even deaths in some cases. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS) study, 72% of workers were injured in scaffold accidents which could have been avoided by providing training to all employees. The current state of the scaffolding profession demands better training for the construction workforce that can provide experiential learning in classroom settings.

Current scaffolding training methodologies struggle to replicate some of the major real-world conditions like wind velocity, weight limits, working at heights, tool placement, and constrained workspaces. Recreating such conditions for experiential learning in classroom settings with traditional training tools and interfaces are complex to recreate. Hence, there is a need for improved and advanced training tools to provide real-world experience by virtually replicating authentic conditions and also to measure the effectiveness of training.

There are many context-based scenarios for assembling cuplock-type scaffolding. One of the main dependent variables in such scenarios is the nature of the construction site. For example, in many constructions sites, there is a need for only a one-level scaffold. This proposal focuses on the specific steps that a scaffolding professional needs to do during the assembling like leveling the base jack, tightening the cup, and locking the cup using the hammer.

TactiVR: An Integrated Electrotactile Haptic System for Virtual Interaction

Our proposal presents a groundbreaking solution that seamlessly integrates advanced electrotactile technology with the SenseGlove Nova, creating an immersive virtual environment for remote meetings and gatherings. By simulating realistic haptic interactions, such as handshakes and high-fives, our system fosters a sense of presence and connection, overcoming the barriers of physical distance. The multisensory approach of our system, incorporating visual, audio, and haptic stimuli, revolutionizes user engagement and enables deep, meaningful connections in the virtual world. Experience the future of remote communication with our innovative and intuitive haptic technology, bridging the gap between virtual and physical connections like never before.

Phase 2: in-person hackathon week at Senseglove

 

After extensive jury discussions, the following teams were selected to extend their VR experiences during the in-person hackathon week:

  • Team SimonVR, with the following team members:
    • Raahi Desai
    • Sarah Gildea
    • Kevin Kowalski
    • Ismael Montero-Rinaldi
    • Cindy Nguyen.
    • Advisor: Kevin Abbruzzese

  • Team Reshape, with the following team members:
    • Krishna Dheeraj Kommuri
    • Quinten Bisschop
    • Jules van Gurp

  • Team Amrita, with the following team members:
    • Deepu D.S.
    • Ramakrishnan K
    • V Rithin Chand
    • Pranav Krishna U
    • Advisor: Shashikant Shankar

Senseglove generously hosted the teams during a full week at their office in Delft. They provided all the necessary hardware and daily tech support. Unfortunately, team Amrita could not attend in-person, but they did manage to develop a successful demo from their own lab. During the daily meetings, the in-person teams and the remote team came together to share information and receive help from Senseglove engineers to solve their problems, which made this week a big success!

Phase 3: demos at World Haptics conference

 

All the teams that participated in the hackathon presented their final interactions at a dedicated SIC demo booth during the World Haptics conference. It was great to see that all teams were able to deliver a functional demo after such a short but intensive week. The presented demos showcased a very wide range of interactions. Team SimOn presented a high five interactive SimOn says game. Team Reshaped showed how spatialized haptics could be added as a sixth sense to draw the attention of a person in a crowded space. Team Amrita pulled of a real-time tele-operation collaborative construction scenario, in which the teacher in India was collaborating with users in Delft to build a scaffold together. Even though it was very hard to compare these teams, our 3 judges (one from Senseglove, and 2 external ones from industry and academia) in the end came to a unanimous decision that the 2023 SIC winner was Team Amrita. Congratulations team!