"fl Huge UId streams": fountains that are keyboards with nozzle spray as keys that give rich tactile feedback and are more expressive and more fun than plastic keys

ABSTRACT

"flUId" is a system for fluid-based tactile user interfaces with an array of fluid streams that work like the keys on a keyboard, but that can also provide a much richer and more expressive form of input by virtue of the infinitely diverse ways in which each fluid jet can be pressed, hit, restricted, or otherwise manipulated by a user. Additionally, if desired, flUId can provide tactile feedback by dynamically modulating the pressure of the fluid spray, so that the keyboard is actually bi-directional (i.e. is both an input and an output device). A 104-jet version can be used as a fun and tactile "QWERTY..." style keyboard. More importantly, however, flUId can also be used for applications, such as musical instruments, where its more expressive multi-dimensional input capabilities can be put to full use. One such instrument, the "FUNtain", is a hollow tubular object with a row of holes in it. It is played much like one would play a tin flute or recorder, by covering up the holes to restrict fluid flow. The FUNtain's fluid-based "keys" embody features of a keyboard instrument (piano or organ) as well as features of the tin flute, to create a hybrid water-pipe organflut ("waterpipe florgan") instrument. This gives rise to a fun new way of playing music by successivly blocking water jets in a fountain, while sitting in a hot tub, or while frolicking in a pool, or lake. Other examples of fluid-user-interface systems that were invented, designed, and built by the author, to enable direct interaction with fluids, as input media, are also discussed. Some of the input devices will work with either air or water, to provide the benefits of richly expressive input and dynamic tactile feedback in settings where use of wet fluid is inappropriate. FUNtains that use no computer or electricity are also presented as wholly acoustic musical instruments. Some of these embody "back to basics" postcyborg/undigital multimedia design elements such as fire, water, and air.

REFERENCES

• 1: Wikimedia Foundation, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydraulis, 2005.
• 2: S. Mann. Telematic tubs against terror: Immersive interactive media of the post-cyborg age. Leonardo, 37(5):372--374, 2004.
• 3: S. Mann. Image processing considerations for simple real-time uid-based user interfaces. page paper number 1442, Lausanne, Switzerland, September 11-14 2005.
• 4: P. Richards. Exploratorium, http://www.exploratorium.edu/visit/wave organ.html, 2005.
• 5: K. van Mensvoort. DATAFOUNTAIN: MONEY TRANSLATED TO WATER. http://www.koert.com/work/datafountain/, 2005.

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  I. Computing Methodologies
  I.4 IMAGE PROCESSING AND COMPUTER VISION
      I.4.0 General

Additional Classification:
  C. Computer Systems Organization
  C.3 SPECIAL-PURPOSE AND APPLICATION-BASED SYSTEMS
      Subjects: Signal processing systems

  J. Computer Applications
  J.5 ARTS AND HUMANITIES
      Subjects: Fine arts

General Terms:
Design, Experimentation, Performance, Theory, Verification

Keywords:
FUNtain, computer mediated reality, direct user interfaces, fluid-user-interfaces, frolic in the fountains, funits (units of fun), immersive, poseidophone, water-based immersive multimedia