iSphere: A Free-Hand 3D Modeling Interface

Abstract

Making 3D models should be an easy and intuitive task like free-hand sketching.This paper presents iSphere, a 24 degree of freedom 3D input device. iSphere is a dodecahedron embedded with 12 capacitive sensors for pulling-out and pressing-in manipulation on 12 control points of 3D geometries. It exhibits a conceptual 3D modeling approach for saving mental loads of low-level commands. Using analog inputs of 3D manipulation, designers are able to have high-level modeling concepts like pushing or pulling 3D surfaces. Our experiment shows that iSphere saved steps in the selection of control points in the review of menus and leading to a clearer focus on what to build instead of how to build it. Novices saved significant time learning 3D manipulation by using iSphere to making conceptual models. However, one tradeoff of the iSphere is its lack of fidelity in its analog input mechanism.

Capacitive Sensors for Whole Body Interaction

“…Sensors can be customized for an application, so that they are sensitive only to specific movements. For example, the force of a punch or touch can be measured by glueing a piece of foam on top of the antenna [4]. The stronger the punch, the more the foam gets compressed, and the closer the user's hand gets to the electrode.…”

Animate mobiles

“…Work in this area includes manipulation in mid-air (e. g. in the iSphere [16] system) and continuous interaction in the airspace over tabletop [17] systems (e. g. in the Z-Touch system [26]). In mobile devices, the integration of distance sensors into mobile phones has also inspired works in the field of around-thedevice interaction (e. g. HoverFlow [15] and SideSight [4]), which is often concerned with an enlargement of the available interaction space.…”

Tangible user interfaces for physically-based deformation: design principles and first prototype

“…Llamas et al [11] proposed a system of two-handed manipulation using two magnetic sensors to deform parts of tubular 3D models geometrically. Lee et al proposed iSphere [10], a bi-manual isometric interface for 3D geometrical deformation. The input interface is a hand-held dodecahedron consisting of 12 capacitive sensors that are used to control a 3D model.…”