Techno-Mimesis in VR
06 | 2020 – 12 | 2021
During the project GINA, I advanced the performative method Techno-Mimesis. Together with two masters students (University of Siegen, Goldsmiths University of London), and in cooperation with the University of Applied Sciences Düsseldorf and LAVAlabs Moving Images GmbH & Co. KG the method was brought into virtual reality (VR).
Techno-Mimesis in VR allows robot developers to experience use scenarios from a robot’s perspective in a more immersive and detailed way. For example, humans are enabled to change their body size into that of the robot, to experience 360° view or to sense 3D-depth. This way robot developers understand robotic superpowers immediately and physically
– always embedded into a use scenario – and are able to emphasize these superpowers in their robot designs.
Studies revealed that Techno-Mimesis in VR needs to be multi-user, needs to allow for improvisation and must create intermediate double-perspectives (being human and robot at the same time) to be successful.
The University of Applied Sciences Düsseldorf and LAVAlabs Moving Images GmbH & Co. KG turned the results of the first prototypes and studies into a modular VR-application for robot developers.
Pictures:
Ruben Albers
Johannes Tscharn
Cooperation:
Ruben Albers: Supervision of Master Thesis »Becoming a robot in virtual reality – Making sense of robots by understanding how robots make sense of the world«
Johannes Tscharn: Supervision Master Thesis »Techno-Mimesis in VR«
Hochschule Düsseldorf
LAVAlabs Moving Images GmbH & Co. KG
Techno-Mimesis in VR was applied for the shopping robot I-RobEka by Ruben Albers. The robot is able to sense 3D-depth, however in a small radius only.
Becoming KURT (RobotKoop).
A selection of representation variants of robotic capabilities (such as for 360° perception) that had to be translated for humans.
Top view of the domestic environment for KURT modeled in 3Ds Max (left) and isolated part of the environment (furniture) shown in wirframe override by Johannes Tscharn.
A screenshot taken in Unity3D of the environment of RobotKoop's household robot KURT (TIAGo) from the robot's perspective by Johannes Tscharn.
Top view of the domestic environment for KURT modeled in 3Ds Max (left) and isolated part of the environment (furniture) shown in wirframe override by Johannes Tscharn.