MobiLimb: Augmenting Mobile Devices with a Robotic Limb [UIST 2018]

MobiLimb is a new shape-changing component with a compact form factor that can be deployed on mobile devices. It is a small 5 DoF serial robotic manipulator that can be easily added to (or removed from) existing mobile devices (smartphone, tablet). In the spirit of human augmentation, which aims at overcoming human body limitations by using robotic devices, our approach aims at overcoming mobile device limitations (static, passive, motionless) by using a robotic limb. This project is published at the HCI conference UIST 2018. More information: https://www.marcteyssier.com/projects/mobilimb/ ________ Marc Teyssier, Gilles Bailly, Catherine Pelachaud, Eric Lecolinet LTCI, Télécom ParisTech, Université, Paris-Saclay, France Sorbonne Université, CNRS, ISIR, Paris, France Abstract: In this paper, we explore the interaction space of MobiLimb, a small 5-DOF serial robotic manipulator attached to a mobile device. It overcomes some limitations of mobile devices (static, passive, motionless); preserves their form factor and I/O capabilities; can be easily attached to or removed from the device; offers additional I/O capabilities such as physical deformation and can support various modular elements such as sensors, lights or shells. We illustrate its potential through three classes of applications: As a tool, MobiLimb offers tangible affordances and an expressive controller that can be manipulated to control virtual and physical objects. As a partner, it reacts expressively to users’ actions to foster curiosity and engagement or assist users. As a medium, it provides rich haptic feedback such as strokes, pat and other tactile stimuli on the hand or the wrist to convey emotions during mediated multimodal communications.

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