Distance communication between people is becoming increasingly important in a globalized world, as they often live and work in different places and therefore also need to be increasingly mobile. As a result, their social network of relationships also spans an ever-increasing geographical area. Current telecommunications technologies play an important role in this by extending the boundaries of our environment, at least temporarily, through the transmission of corresponding sensory impressions. However, they do not create the impression associated with positive feelings to be actually together – thus spatially present – and to share real events taking place together.
Newer interactive technologies can enable a sense of presence and participation, but also have limitations. For example, virtual reality (VR), or “immersion” in another environment using VR goggles, can be used to create the impression of physical proximity. However, VR does not allow participation in remote environments and thus does not allow participation in an event that is taking place in real life. This, however, is made possible by telepresence robotics (TPR), which allows control of a robot in a remote space by transmitting a two-dimensional camera image of the environment. A combined use of the two approaches could create a new quality of telepresence interaction.
From telecommunications to telepresence interaction.
This is the subject of a research network led by the Chair of Industrial Engineering and Innovation Management (Head: Prof. Dr. Angelika Bullinger-Hoffmann) at Chemnitz University of Technology. The “Tele-VeRbundenheit” project, which also involves the Professorship of Production Systems and Processes (Head: Prof. Dr. Martin Dix) at Chemnitz University of Technology, the Institute of Sociology at Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, and the companies Die Etagen GmbH from Osnabrück and YOUSE GmbH from Berlin, is investigating practical solutions for the combined use of virtual reality and telepresence robotics in social contexts.
“While research and development work in the field of VR-based collaboration currently focuses primarily on the digitization and transmission of people as virtual images, so-called avatars, we are going one step further and looking at the inclusion of the real environment. This is the only way to implement scenarios that enable participation in real events for spatially distant people,” reports Dr. Frank Dittrich, research associate at the Chair of Industrial Engineering and Innovation Management, who initiated the project. “The use of real-time immersive image transmissions experienced by means of VR glasses can be a possible approach here,” Dittrich continues. Therefore, in addition to pure stereoscopic video transmission, the researchers will also experiment with combining 3D-enabled technologies, such as depth sensors.
Focusing on the human factor: mechanisms of action of experienced presence and social proximity as a research goal.
In addition to researching technical approaches, a key goal of the project is to look at social science issues. For example, the researchers want to determine the effect between virtual presence perception and social proximity as well as connectedness. To this end, the technology is to be tested in practical use. Since cultural experiences in particular are often shared as special social moments, the researchers want to test the technologies in the field during museum visits, among other things. To this end, the European Capital of Culture 2025 Chemnitz GmbH and the Kunstsammlungen Chemnitz are supporting the research project as associated partners. “Because improved telepresence technologies not only offer opportunities for interpersonal exchange, but could also generate a positive effect for cultural participation in the future. People who, for various reasons, are denied real visits could nevertheless participate in them virtually. In perspective, this also opens up the opportunity to make regional cultural sites globally accessible in a completely new way,” project coordinator Dorothea Langer from the Chair of Work Science and Innovation Management is convinced.
Keyword: Funding guideline “Proximity over distance – Enabling interpersonal connectedness with interactive technologies.”
The project, which will run from April 2023 to March 2026, is being funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research with around one million euros as part of the funding guideline “Proximity over distance – Enabling interpersonal connectedness with interactive technologies”. The aim of the funding is to provide new concepts for innovative interactive technologies and products and services based on them that enable participation in the lives of close people across spatial distances and strengthen the bond with these people. With the help of new technology-enabled forms of interaction, the aim is to facilitate the maintenance of meaningful social relationships, which in turn helps to increase individual resilience and quality of life.
Contact.
Dorothea Langer (Project Coordinator)
Phone +49 (0)371 531-32218
E-mail: dorothea.langer@mb.tu-chemnitz.de
Further links
SAP
