Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Fig. 6.8
Tubtouch system overview
such existing bathroom. In addition, electrodes can be freely installed on the rear
side of surfaces, including curved surfaces. Another advantage is the flexibility of the
interactive display and its compatibility with conventional household environments.
Capacitive sensors usually respond to contact with water and are therefore used
to measure water levels in tanks. Recent multi-touch input devices tend to be incom-
patible with wet environments. However, the basic function of a capacitive sensor is
to react to the presence of dielectric objects. Since water and the human body have
different relative permittivity, TubTouch can indeed be used to detect human touch,
even when wet, in response to each sensor signal.
Japanese bathroom systems also have space in the ceiling to install equipment such
as ventilators, dryers, mist generators, loudspeakers, and audio units. An access hatch
is provided in the bathroom ceiling for easy access to this space; thus, a projector
can very easily be installed there.
There are three ways to interact with TubTouch: touching, sliding, and proximity
to the edge of the bathtub
1, 2
. As mentioned above, the proximity value is measured
by reaction to the presence of dielectric objects, such as fingers and hands in this
case. Touch detection is a proximity state that can be determined quite simply using
a threshold. Sliding motions can be detected by transitions of proximity values from
multiple electrodes.
6.3.2
TubTouch Entertainment Applications
TubTouch has several entertainment applications, including control of some bath
equipment such as lighting, audio, and TV. In this section, we introduce three
entertainment applications that, in particular, provide new experiences during baths.
1
TubTouch Example 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDKR6rTwobM.
2
TubTouch Example 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiKocZ1IORw.
