Towards An Understanding of Mobile Touch Navigation in a Stereoscopic Viewing Environment for 3D Data Exploration

Abstract

We discuss touch-based navigation of 3D visualizations in a combined monoscopic and stereoscopic viewing environment. We identify a set of interaction modes, and a workflow that helps users transition between these modes to improve their interaction experience. In our discussion we analyze, in particular, the control-display space mapping between the different reference frames of the stereoscopic and monoscopic displays. We show how this mapping supports interactive data exploration, but may also lead to conflicts between the stereoscopic and monoscopic views due to users' movement in space; we resolve these problems through synchronization. To support our discussion, we present results from an exploratory observational evaluation with domain experts in fluid mechanics and structural biology. These experts explored domain-specific datasets using variations of a system that embodies the interaction modes and workflows; we report on their interactions and qualitative feedback on the system and its workflow.

Interactive Exploration of Three-Dimensional Scientific Visualizations on Large Display Surfaces

“…This scenario, however, poses additional challenges as the mapping from the input provided and data displayed on the mobile surface to the stationary (and typically large) stereoscopic surface constantly changes as the interacting person is moving around. López et al [60] recently analyzed the interaction modes in this situation (e. g., Fig. 3).…”

“…Uniform scaling is possible using pinching on a cube side, non-uniform scaling by pinching on two opposite cube edges. These interactions allow users to constrain their manipulations to only single-DOF control, and studies [60] indicate that the tBox provides people with an increased feeling of precision for the 3D interaction.…”

“…Other interaction techniques with stereoscopic 3D data displays and visualizations are being investigated such as the use of a grasping-based metaphor [27] or the use of the monoscopic display in a hybrid setup as a mobile input device [60]. Yet, none of these approaches has yet led to a complete design study so we do not describe them in detail in this list of systems.…”

“…The future continuum can then also include data exploration environments that effectively integrate tactile, surface-based interaction with other visual or interaction paradigms such as stereoscopic views (e. g., [15,16,21,22,60]) or tangible input (e. g., [71,74]). …”

Combining bimanual interaction and teleportation for 3D manipulation on multi-touch wall-sized displays

“…Touching the frame of the screen is also not suitable with wall-sized displays because they are too large. In most recent work, Lopez et al [2016] presented a variation of the previous technique in which the FI3D technique is used on a separate tablet to explore data displayed a large stereoscopic display. While this variation enables the user to control data on a larger display and deals with stereoscopic screen, the user has to frequently switch between the tablet view and the stereoscopic view.…”