Abstract:We propose a telepresence system with a real human face-shaped screen. This system tracks the remote user's face and extracts the head motion and the face image. The face-shaped screen moves along three degree-offreedom (DOF) by reflecting the user's head gestures. We expect this system can accurately convey the user's nonverbal information in remote communication. In particular, it can transmit the user's gaze direction in the 3D space that is not correctly transmitted by using a 2D screen, which is known as "the Mona Lisa effect." To evaluate how this system can contribute to communication, we conducted three experiments. As the results of these evaluations, we found that the recognizable angles of the face-shaped screen were bigger, and the recognition of the head directions was better than those of the flat 2D screen. More importantly, we also found the face-shaped screen could accurately convey the gaze directions and it solves the Mona Lisa effect problem even when screen size is reduced.

We propose a telepresence system with a real human faceshaped screen. This system tracks the remote user's face and extracts the head motion and the face image. The faceshaped screen moves along three degree-of-freedom (DOF) by reflecting the user's head gestures. As the face-shaped screen is molded based on the 3D-shape scan data of the user, the projected image is accurate even when it is seen from different angles. We expect this system can accurately convey the user's nonverbal communication, in particular the user's gaze direction in 3D space that is not correctly transmitted by using a 2D screen (which is known as "the Mona Lisa effect"). To evaluate how this system can contribute to the communication, we conducted three experiments. The first one examines the blind angle of a faceshaped screen and a flat screen, and compares the ease with which users can distinguish facial expressions. The second one evaluates how the direction in which the remote user's face points can be correctly transmitted. The third experiment evaluates how the gaze direction can be correctly transmitted. We found that the recognizable angles of the face-shaped screen were larger, and that the recognition of the head directions was better than on a flat 2D screen. More importantly, we found that the face-shaped screen accurately conveyed the gaze direction, resolving the problem of the Mona Lisa effect.

Chameleonmask is a telepresence system that shows a remote user's face on the other user's face. While most telepresence systems have been designed to provide a remote user's existence with a teleoperated robot, the system uses a real human as a surrogate for another remote user. To do this, a surrogate user wears a mask-shaped display that shows a remote user's live face, and a voice channel transmits a remote user's voice. A surrogate user mimics a remote user by following the remote user's directions. This design is based on our hypothesis assuming physical and social telepresence can be embodied by such a surrogate human who imitates the remote user. It also eliminates many difficulties of teleoperated robots wandering in the environment. Our pilot study confirmed that people could regard the masked person as a right person.

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