Smaller-person Experience

Changing a Visual Perspective into that of a Child

This paper explores how human perceptions, actions, and interactions can be changed through an embodied and active experience of being a smaller person in a real-world environment, which we call an egocentric smaller person experience. We developed a wearable visual translator that provides the perspective of a smaller person by shifting the wearer’s eyesight level down to their waist using a head-mounted display and a stereo camera module, while allowing for field of view control through head movements.

In this study, we investigated how the developed device can modify the wearer’s body representation and experiences based on a field study conducted at a nursing school and museums, and through lab studies. It was observed that the participants changed their perceptions, actions, and interactions because they are considered to have perceived themselves as being smaller. Using this device, designers and teachers can understand the perspectives of other people in an existing environment.

Publications

Jun Nishida, Soichiro Matsuda, Mika Oki, Hikaru Takatori, Kosuke Sato and Kenji Suzuki. 2019. Egocentric Small-person Experience by Changing a Visual Perspective. ACM SIGCHI 2019 Papers & Interactivity (PDF)

Jun Nishida, Hikaru Takatori, Kosuke Sato and Kenji Suzuki, “CHILDHOOD: Wearable Suit for Augmented Child Experience”, SIGGRAPH 2015 Emerging Technologies & Posters, USA, Aug. 9-13, 2015 (PDF)

Jun Nishida, Hikaru Takatori, Kosuke Sato and Kenji Suzuki, “CHILDHOOD: Wearable Suit for Augmented Child Experience”, Virtual Reality International Conference, France, Apr. 8-12, 2015 (PDF)