Investigating Active Tangibles and Augmented Reality for Creativity Support in Remote Collaboration

Abstract

Physical manipulation is a key part of externalizing representations of knowledge and the creative process. However, contemporary tools for remote collaboration ignore physical manipulation and the haptic modality. We are interested in exploring remote physical manipulation in the context of ideation and brainstorming. Augmented Reality provides much of the benefits of spatial representation of remote participants, yet AR does not allow for rich physical manipulation and haptic feedback. Thus, we propose to use pairs of multi-robot system to provide synchronized haptic proxies in conjunction with the AR system. These small, tangible robots can be used directly as handles for digital models. We share insights gathered during experimentation to help design platforms combining AR and actuated tangibles, and present several application scenarios to illustrate their potential for remote collaboration.