Revisiting the layer/mask paradigm for augmented scenery

Abstract

Virtual and augmented reality have been used in the performing arts with two main purposes in mind: the design of artificial sceneries and the augmentation of the actor's performance. We are mostly interested in the second application that offers new perspectives for the interaction between actors and digital media. This article describes the design of a new interface for the definition and control of multi-layer interactive 2½D scenes by performers. The resulting virtual and animated environment is a stack of semi-transparent layers associated with physical models. Because of their intuitive physical behaviour and their capacity to be adapted to various geometries, these virtual props are well suited for the stage and their manipulation by performers. The interface used to design and control these objects extends the classical layer/mask paradigm to interactive spatialised scenes made of surfaces controlled by physical models such as mass-spring systems. This work is the result of a collaboration between a laboratory in human computer communication and a theater company. It has been successfully implemented in a single-actor theater play, leading to augmented and embodied expressiveness.

Keywords:

• computer graphics
• augmented space
• digital scenography
• video-scenography
• sensor-based interaction