Smart Table

Applications

Smart Table enables observation of human's interaction with objects on the table surface through localization and identification of these objects. According to the requirements of Smart Kindergarten, a sample Smart Table application scenario was created where teachers need to get a detailed transcript of the sequence in which kids manipulate objects when solving problems.

Identifiable objects are thin squared blocks with symbols on top. Depending on the age of the children, the symbols are math signs and numbers or simple images. The goal for the kids is to order the blocks appropriately achieving a meaningful equation or picture. Smart Table provides location and identity of the blocks to the back-end middleware infrastructure Sylph where the results of the kids' actions are validated. In Smart Kindergarten, each child wears an iBadge, which allows identification of the child. Incorporating information provided by Smart Table, the sequential actions conducted by a particular child are monitored and stored. This information enables teachers to observe the learning progress of this particular child.

Examples

Smart Table is not limited to capturing interactions of only one person at a time. In principle, the gaming process of any of the well-known board games involving multiple players, such as Four-in-a-Row, Tic-Tac-Toe, Reversi, Chess etc. can be observed. The game area is simply extended to the entire table surface. This can be utilized in the form of a replaceable table cover, which carries the desired board game on it. When observations are collected over time and stored in a database sophisticated analysis can be carried out, e.g. the chosen strategy of a chess game can be analyzed based on involved players.

Puzzle		4-in-a-Row
Tic-Tac-Toe		Chess

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. ANI-0085773. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation (NSF).