TUIO: A Protocol for Table-Top Tangible User Interfaces
Martin Kaltenbrunner, Till Bovermann, Ross Bencina, Enrico Costanza · 2005
Abstract. In this article we present Tuio, a simple yet versatile protocol designed specifically to meet the requirements of table-top tangible user interfaces. Inspired by the idea of interconnecting various existing table interfaces such as the reacTable * [1], being developed in Barcelona and the tDesk [2] from Bielefeld, this protocol defines common properties of controller objects on the table surface as well as of finger and hand gestures performed by the user. Currently this protocol has been implemented within a fiducial marker-based computer vision engine developed for the reacTable * project. This fast and robust computer vision engine is based on the original d-touch concept [3], which is also included as an alternative to the newer fiducial tracking engine. The computer vision framework has been implemented on various standard platforms and can be extended with additional sensor components. We are currently working on the tracking of finger-tips for gestural control within the table interface. The Tuio protocol has been implemented using OpenSound Control [4] and is therefore usable on any platform supporting this protocol. At the moment we have working implementations for Java, C++, PureData, Max/MSP, SuperCollider and Flash. 1 General Observations This protocol definition is an attempt to provide a general and versatile communication interface between tangible table-top controller interfaces and underlying application layers. It was designed to meet the needs of table-top interactive surfaces, where the user is able to manipulate a set of objects. These objects are tracked by a sensor system and can be identified and located in position and orientation on the table surface. Additionally we defined a special cursor object, which doesn’t have a unique ID and doesn’t provide rotation information. The protocol’s flexible design offers methods for selecting which information will be sent. This flexibility is provided without affecting existing interfaces, or requiring re-implementation to maintain compatibility.