Interaction support for virtual studio by vibration feedback

Virtual studios, that synthesize video-camera images with CG objects of studio sets and props, are commonly used in professional program production. Since the actors cannot directly see the CG objects in the studio, they must estimate the positions of the CG objects by watching synthesized video displayed on a monitor placed within their field of view. However, it is difficult for actors to look at a monitor while acting because their acting becomes unnatural if gaze goes toward the monitor. Vibration feedback can be used as a way of indicating the positions of CG objects without the actor having to look at the synthesized video and without affecting the shooting or sound pickup. This method attaches a small vibration device to the actor’s body and communicates the distance to the CG objects by varying the intensity and pattern of vibration. A system to verify this method was developed. Subjects evaluated whether the surface of a CG object can be recognized and whether the distance from the surface of the CG object can be estimated on a four-level scale for four cases in an experiment that simulates interactions with a studio set and props. The experimenter observed whether the subject's hand penetrated the CG object in the synthesized video. As a result, it was found that vibration feedback is very useful for interactions with studio sets except for close interactions like handling props.