Electronic Textiles: A Tangible Interface for Virtual Reality

SHREEYA TYAGI

Project Description

Shreeya’s research project investigates the development of an experimental tangible electronic textile (e-textile) interface to a virtual reality experience using human computer interaction (HCI) approaches. The e-textiles interface is an ‘unconventional controller’ that controls a virtual object (3D visual asset) within a Virtual Reality space. Further, this research has been contained within the context of HCI using the framework of Tangible User Interfaces and within this area of study, the series of interfaces explored are composed of electronic textiles (e-textiles) that represent and control single 3D visual assets in Virtual Reality. Through this research Shreeya attempts to understand human touch as related to tangible objects (passive haptics) and how it overlaps with human sight (vision) in Virtual Reality. This has been done using the framework of Tangible User Interfaces and applying the considerations set by the framework to create explorative interfaces. The data collected using Research Through Design methodology from this study has then been applied to an interactive and exploratory piece in textiles that attempts to bridge the gap between physical and virtual worlds using the haptic-visual overlap.