Bio  •  Projects  •  Publications  •  Curriculum Vitae

 

 Brain-Computer Interfaces

Microsoft Research

 

Advances in cognitive neuroscience and brain imaging technologies provide us with the unprecedented ability to interface directly with activity in the brain. In our work, we use brain imaging to passively sense and model the user’s cognitive state as they perform their tasks. We will use brain imaging to explore human cognition in the real world, to evaluate interface design, and to build interfaces that adapt based on cognitive state. More info...
     

 Multiple Device Computing Environments

Microsoft Research

 

WinCuts: Manipulating and sharing arbitrary window regions

WinCuts allows users to replicate arbitrary regions of existing windows into independent windows. Each WinCut is a live view of some region of a source window with which users can interact. By sharing WinCuts between multiple machines, users can work across display space and input devices.

Tan, D.S., Gergle, D., Czerwinski, M. (2005). A Job-Shop Scheduling Task for Evaluating Coordination during Computer Supported Collaboration. Microsoft Research TR-2005-107.

Tan, D.S., Meyers, B., Czerwinski, M. (2004). WinCuts: Manipulating Arbitrary Window Regions for More Effective Use of Screen Space. Short paper at CHI 2004.
     

 Large Displays

Microsoft Research & Carnegie Mellon University

 

Physical size affects performance on spatial tasks

We compare the performance of users working on large wall-sized displays to that of users working on smaller displays, viewed at equivalent visual angles. Results from a series of experiments show that large displays bias users into adopting egocentric strategies that allow them to perform better on spatial orientation tasks, including 3D virtual navigation.

Robertson, G., Czerwinski, M., Baudisch, P., Meyers, B., Robbins, D., Smith, G., Tan, D.S. (2005). Large Display User Experience. IEEE CG&A.

Tan, D.S., Gergle, D., Scupelli, P., Pausch, R. (Accepted for publication, 2005). Physically Large Displays Improved Performance on Spatial Tasks. To appear in ACM TOCHI.

Tan, D.S., Gergle, D., Scupelli, P., Pausch, R. (2004). Physically Large Displays Improve Path Integration in 3D Virtual Navigation Tasks. CHI 2004.

Tan, D.S., Gergle, D., Scupelli, P.G., Pausch, R. (2003) With Similar Visual Angles, Larger Displays Improve Performance on Spatial Tasks. CHI 2003.

Tan, D.S. (2003). Exploiting the Cognitive and Social Benefits of Physically Large Displays. Carnegie Mellon University Dissertation Proposal.

Tan, D.S. (2004). Exploiting the Cognitive and Social Benefits of Physically Large Displays. Carnegie Mellon University Dissertation.

 

Physical size affects social perception of information

We present the novel application of an implicit memory paradigm for measuring whether or not a user has read certain content. We show that, even with equivalent visual angles and legibility, visitors are still more likely to glance over a user’s shoulder to read information on a large wall-projected display than on a smaller traditional desktop monitor. We also present an interaction technique called the spy-resistant keyboard to allow users to type sensitive information safely on large public displays.

Tan, D.S., Keyani, P., Czerwinski, M. (2005). Spy-Resistant Keyboard: More Secure Password Entry on Public Touch Screen Displays. OZCHI 2005.

Tan, D.S., Czerwinski, M. (2003). Information Voyeurism: Social Impact of Physically Large Displays on Information Privacy. Short paper at CHI 2003.

 

Wider Fields of View Close the Gender Gap in 3D Navigation

Existing reports suggest that males significantly outperform females in navigating 3D virtual environments. In a series of experiments, we show that providing wider fields of view on large displays not only increases performance of all users on average, but also benefits females to such a degree as to allow them to perform as well as males do. We show that these benefits come from the presence of better optical flow cues offered by displays with wider fields of view.

Tan, D.S., Czerwinski, M., Robertson, G.G. (Accepted for publication, 2005). Large Displays Enhance Optical Flow Cues and Narrow the Gender Gap in 3D Virtual Navigation. To appear in Human Factors Journal.

Tan, D.S., Czerwinski, M., Robertson, G.G. (2003). Women Go With the (Optical) Flow. CHI 2003.

Czerwinski, M., Tan, D.S., Robertson, G.G. (2002). Women Take a Wider View. CHI 2002.

Tan, D.S., Robertson, G.G, Czerwinski, M. (2000). Exploring 3D Navigation: Combining Speed-coupled Flying with Orbiting. CHI 2001.

 

Pragmatics of using large displays

We begin to explore some of the more pragmatic aspects of distributing large displays within our environments. We show that wider separation of divided attention tasks across the visual field are detrimental to task performance, but only when coupled with an offset in depth introduced by coupling small and large displays. In separate work, we present a technique that eliminates the blinding light that front-projected large display systems emit.

Tan, D.S., Czerwinski, M. (2003). Effects of Visual Separation and Physical Discontinuities when Distributing Information across Multiple Displays. OZCHI 2003.

Tan, D.S., Czerwinski, M. (2003). Effects of Visual Separation and Physical Discontinuities when Distributing Information across Multiple Displays. Short paper at INTERACT 2003.

Tan, D.S.,Pausch, R. (2002). Pre-emptive Shadows: Eliminating the Blinding Light from Projectors. Interactive poster at CHI 2002.
     

 Human Memory

Carnegie Mellon University

 

InfoCockpits: Interfaces that improve human memory

We utilize well-understood psychology principles suggesting that human beings are adept at remembering information based on its location relative to their body, and on the place where they were when they learned it. We show the benefits of our two basic strategies: (1) Ambient context displays (both visual and auditory), to engage human memory for place; (2) Multiple spatial displays surrounding the user, to engage human memory for location.

Tan, D.S., Stefanucci, J.K., Proffitt, D.R., Pausch, R. (2002). Kinesthesis Aids Human Memory. Short paper at CHI 2002.

Tan, D.S., Stefanucci, J.K., Proffitt, D.R., Pausch, R. (2001). The Infocockpit: Providing Location and Place to Aid Human Memory. Workshop on Perceptive User Interfaces 2001.
     

 Augmented and Virtual Reality

Carnegie Mellon University & ATR Japan

 

Tiles: A tangible augmented reality interface

Tiles is a tangible augmented reality interface designed to support rapid prototyping and collaborative evaluation of aircraft instrument panels. The Tiles system seamlessly blends virtual and physical objects to create a workspace that combines the power and flexibility of computing environments with the comfort and familiarity of the traditional workplace. We use this system as a prototype application for exploring more generic tangible augmented reality interfaces.

Poupyrev, I., Tan, D.S., Billinghurst, M., Kato, H., Regenbrecht, H., Tetsutani, N. (2002). Developing a Generic Augmented-Reality Interface. IEEE Computer 35(3).

Poupyrev, I., Tan, D.S., Billinghurst, M., Kato, H., Regenbrecht, H., Tetsutani, N. (2001). Tiles: A Mixed Reality Authoring Interface. INTERACT 2001.

Tan, D.S., Poupyrev, I., Billinghurst, M., Kato, H., Regenbrecht, H., Tetsutani, N. (2001). On-demand, In-place Help for Augmented Reality Environments. Georgia Institute of Technology Technical Report GIT-GVU-TR-01-17.

Tan, D.S., Poupyrev, I., Billinghurst, M., Kato, H., Regenbrecht, H., Tetsutani, N. (2001). On-demand, In-place Help for Augmented Reality Environments. Presented as poster at Ubicomp 2001.

Tan, D.S., Poupyrev, I., Billinghurst, M., Kato, H., Regenbrecht, H., Tetsutani, N. (2000). The Best of Two Worlds: Merging Virtual and real for Face-to-Face Collaboration. Work Presented at Shared Environments to Support Face-To-Face Collaboration Workshop, CSCW 2000.

Poupyrev, I., Billinghurst, M., Kato, H., Tan, D.S., Regenbrecht, H. (2000). A Tangible Augmented Reality Interface for Prototyping Aircraft Instrument Panels. Public Demonstration at ISAR 2000. 

 

Alice: 3D interactive graphics programming

Alice had its beginnings as a rapid prototyping system for building virtual worlds. The first versions of Alice required the user to script code in an object-oriented, interpreted language (Python) that allowed programmers to immediately see the effects of changes. Since then we have developed, prototyped, and tested many new interaction techniques in Alice. Through careful design of this system Alice has made 3D authoring easy to learn and use for non-computer science college students. More info...
     

 Autonomous Path Planning

University of Notre Dame

 

Path planning algorithms with framed quadtree and octree data structures

The motion planning problem is of central importance to the fields of robotics, spatial planning, and automated design. We implement algorithms that find collision-free paths of shortest distance through obstacle-scattered environments. These algorithms improve upon existing techniques by utilizing a circular path planning wave and novel data structures, the framed-quadtree (2D) and framed-octree (3D).

Tan, D. S., Herro, J. T., Szczerba, R. J. (1996). Simulation of Shortest Path Planning Algorithms Based on the Framed-octree Data Structure. University of Notre Dame CSE Technical Report, 96-36.

Tan, D. S., Szczerba, R. J., Uhran, J. J., Jr. (1996). Developing Graphical User Interfaces for Robotic Motion Planning Simulations. Paper presented at the Eighth Annual Butler University Undergraduate Research Conference.

Tan, D. S., Herro, J. T., Szczerba, R. J. (1995). Simulation of Euclidean Shortest Path Planning Algorithms Based on the Framed-quadtree Data Structure. University of Notre Dame CSE Technical Report, 95-26.