Systems Design : Peekaboo
Peekaboo is an interactive device which can respond to 2 or more multisensory inputs.
project Details
The idea here was finally selected to be the best of all the concepts, and was chosen for implementation. “Peekaboo” is designed to give the user a feel of interacting one-on-one with a virtual character who responds to the user's movements.
A camera is used to capture the movements of the user in front of the screen. The virtual character endeavours to peek past the user, and moves accordingly with the user's movements. The user is made to feel as if there is something behind him. Once the user's curiosity is assumed to have been aroused, the virtual character sniggers, and when the user moves closer, the character screams.
Methodology:
A webcam, placed atop a screen, could be used to capture the movements of the user, which would then be decoded by a computer using image processing techniques. The decoded information would indicate the direction in which the user is moving, and the relevant video showing the virtual character trying to peek past the user would be depicted. After a certain time delay, the video would show the character laughing. When the user moves towards the screen, the change in position would be detected, and the virtual character would scream in the video.Technical help was provided by my pal Rahul Panchal, who helped in with the MATLAB coding and cam interfacing.
Senses
• visual – the character in the video would seemingly perceive the movements of the user.
• auditory - the character would scream when the user nears it, or snigger when the user's curiosity is triggered.
Process:
- Brainstorming & idea generation
- Evaluation & selection of concepts
- Feasibility analysis
- Freezing concept
- Information collection
- Scenario generation
- Execution process
• Back-end (code generation using MATLAB)
• Front-end (Interface development & character video shooting) Testing process - User testing and feedback