inter-glow

A system that facilitates close interaction and communication among users by using multiplexed visible-light communication technology. When users shine lamps on a table in a miniature living room, the system recognizes which lamps are illuminatined and produces family conversations.

Enhanced Life

This project facilitates close interaction and communication among users in real spaces. It enables natural interaction without vivid awareness that light is being employed as a medium.

Goals

To use light to interact naturally with pervasive computing environments and to promote communication and cooperation among people in the environments.

Innovations

Several core technical innovations are demonstrated in this project, including:

• Multiplexed visible-light communication technology with pulse frequency.
  
  
• The first use of visible-light communication technology as input in interactive systems, which promote communication and cooperation among users.
  
  
• A system design that supports natural human conversation depending on the situation.

Vision

In the near future, pervasive computing environments will become more common, and all light fixtures could include visible-light communication technology. With a system like inter-glow, people could interact naturally with their environments without being aware that ambient light is conveying information. This technology could also inspire artists and engineers to develop innovative artworks and applications.

Contact

Takuji Narumi
The University of Tokyo
Narumi (at) cyber.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp

Contributors

Atsushi Hiyama
Tomohiro Tanikawa
Michitaka Hirose
The University of Tokyo