Hardware design for interactive immersive environments

Virtual Reality Input Devices
At the iCinema Centre we are working on large scale deployment of artistic VR installations. As such we need to be able to interface with existing VR devices (head mounted displays, gloves, etc) and new, purpose built, devices. This project would cover both the assimilation of current technologies with new installations as well as the development (both hardware and software) of new input technologies.
Prerequisites: Hardware experience

Novel User Interaction Hardware design
CSE's Human Computer Interaction Centre is developing software and hardware to aid computer usablility and to study HCI. As such, we need to be able to interface with existing devices (such as cameras, eye-trackers, even keyboards) and new, purpose built devices. This project would cover both the assimilation of current technologies in novel ways, as well as the development (both hardware and software) of new user interaction technologies.
Prerequisites: Hardware experience

Control surface construction kit
Production and performance of audio and video has been revolutionized by flexible software-based systems. Unfortunately, most physical interfaces can not match the flexibility of the underlying software. Generic interfaces (e.g. MIDI knob boxes) or general purpose interfaces (e.g. mice and keyboards) compromise the efficiency, usability and utility of the system as a whole. Research in this area would aim to design and construct a "lego" style construction kit that allows knobs, sliders, lights and other physical interface elements to be arranged and rearranged according to the specific task being undertaken. Such a kit would also be very useful for prototyping fixed interfaces and device front panels.
Prerequisites: Simple electronics, microcontroller programming, device driver development.

id_CINE - Spherical (360 x 240 degree) high-resolution camera array
Work towards the next generation of iCinema's spherical digital video camera.
Prerequisites: Optics or CCD or Camera design experience

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