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Contact
Lewis Chuang |
| Address: | Spemannstr. 38 72076 Tübingen |
| Room number: | 111 |
| Phone: | +49 7071 601 634 |
| Fax: | +49 7071 601 616 |
| E-Mail: |  lewis.chuang |
Research
A process cannot be understood by stopping it. Understanding must
move with the flow of the process, must join and flow with it. - Frank Herbert
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Humans are active observers of their dynamic visual environments. For example, they execute eye-movements across their surroundings as well as manually manipulate objects, in order to access task-relevant information. In addition, they can remember the way in which the visual appearance of animate (and inanimate) objects change over time and perspective.
My research involves understanding the nature of such dynamic information and the means by which humans learn to access this information. To do so, I employ experimental setups that allow human observers to interact with their environments, as they are accustomed to in the real world. |
Understanding how humans perform in a natural and unrestrained environment can inform the development of human-machine interfaces, allowing for better integration and faster adoption.
Examples of Human-Machine Interactions
Associated projects and funding
Active Information Retrieval
| We move our eyes, re-orient our bodies and manipulate our environments, in order to retrieve relevant sensory information. This active process of information retrieval is considered in a range of experiments to yield ecologically valid findings for engineering solutions. |  |
Goals
The following lines of enquiry are currently pursued. First, how is object speed estimated during locomotion. Second, how do we explore 3D novel objects for subsequent recognition? Third, how is unrestrained gaze defined for large wall-sized displays. Finally, how should haptic feedback cues be designed to facilitate better perceptual awareness in teleoperation?
Methods
Classical psychophysical methods and experimental paradigms are employed in settings that allow for active information acquisition. For example, participants are allowed to rotate and explore novel 3D objects during learning. We designed an unrestrained gazetracking system — that combines a headmounted eyetracker and optical head-tracking —to gather natural gaze statistics on wall-sized displays. Finally, psychophysical evaluations are conducted to establish perceptual sensitivity of teleoperators during swarm robotic control.
Results and Findings
(1) This visual system estimates object speed in reference to egomotion. (2) Non-accidental properties of shape (i.e., symmetry and elongation) guide object exploration to seek out characteristic object views. (3) Unrestrained gaze results in more fixations with shorter durations, especially in visual search tasks, but continue to exhibit a central and horizontal biases. (4) Haptic feedback can increase perceptual awareness of remote environments, but can also interfere with maneuvering efficiency. A good compromise is achieved with haptic feedback cues that are based on the proximity of near-obstacles.
Conclusion
Perception is an active process for acquiring information. Incorporating this into experimentation can yield deeper insights into perceptual challenges.
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Left: We prefer to look at novel objects according to their structural characteristics (i.e., symmetry, elongation). Right: Natural gaze (green) and head (red) movement tend to be centrally and horizontally distributed.
Selected Publications
Chuang LL and Souman JL (2011) The center-surround effect in visual speed estimation during walking, Perception, 40, 129.
Wallraven C and Chuang L (2011) Non-accidental properties determine object exploration patterns, 15th International Conference on Cognitive and Neural Systems, 1-2.
Chuang LL, H-J Bieg, HH Bülthoff and RW Fleming (2010) Measuring unrestrained gaze on wall-sized displays, 28th Annual European Conference on Cognitive Ergonomics, 347-348
Son HI, Chuang LL, Franchi A, Kim J, Lee D, Lee S-W, Bülthoff HH (2011) Measuring an operator's maneuverability performance in the haptic teleoperation of multiple robots, IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems, 3039-3046.
Lewis Chuang is a post-doctoral researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen. His interests include visual learning, eye-movement behavior and the design of human-machine interfaces.
He obtained his BSc. in Experimental Psychology from the University of York and his MPhil. from the University of Manchester with a dissertation on "Face Detection: Is visual-spatial attention selective for faces?1"
His doctoral thesis — Recognizing objects from dynamic visual experiences2 — addressed the respective contributions of non-rigid and rigid motion to learning novel objects in our dynamic environments, such as during object manipulation. For this work, he was awarded a PhD in Behavior Neuroscience by the Eberhard-Karl University of Tübingen.
He is the proud owner of three freshwater aquariums.
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1. supervised by Dr. Karen Lander 2. supervised by Dr. Quoc C. Vuong & Prof. Heinrich H. BülthoffBooks (1): | |
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LL Chuang
 : Recognizing Objects from Dynamic Visual Experiences, 162, Logos-Verlag, Berlin, Germany, (2011).
ISBN: 978-3-8325-2842-3
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Articles (4): | |
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Schultz J , Chuang L and Vuong QC (June-2008) A dynamic object-processing network: Metric shape discrimination of dynamic objects by activation of occipito-temporal, parietal and frontal cortex
Cerebral Cortex 18(6) 1302-1313.
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, Chuang L and (May-2006) Recognising face identity from natural and morphed smiles
Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology 59(5) 801-808.
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Chuang L , Vuong QC , Thornton IM and Bülthoff HH (May-2006) Recognising novel deforming objects
Visual Cognition 14(1) 85-88.
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and Chuang L (April-2005) Why are moving faces easier to recognize?
Visual Cognition 12(3) 429-442.
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Conference papers (10): | |
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Son HI , Chuang L , Kim J and Bülthoff HH (October-2011) Haptic Feedback Cues Can Improve Human Perceptual Awareness in Multi-Robots Teleoperation
11th International Conference on Control, Automations and Systems (ICCAS 2011), IEEE, Piscataway, NJ, USA, 1323-1328.
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Son HI , Chuang LL , Franchi A , Kim J , , , Bülthoff HH and Robuffo Giordano P (September-2011) Measuring an Operator's Maneuverability Performance in the Haptic Teleoperation of Multiple Robots
IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS 2011), IEEE, Piscatawy, NJ, USA, 3039-3046.
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Son HI , Kim J , Chuang LL , Franchi A , Robuffo Giordano P , and Bülthoff HH (June-2011) An Evaluation of Haptic Cues on the Tele-Operator's Perceptual Awareness of Multiple UAVs' Environments
IEEE 2011 World Haptics Conference (WHC 2011), IEEE, Piscataway, NJ, USA, 149-154.
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Wallraven C and Chuang L (May-2011) Non-accidental properties determine object exploration patterns
15th International Conferece on Cognitive and Neural Systems (ICCNS 2011), 1-2.
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Bülthoff HH and Chuang LL (September-2010) Towards Artificial Systems: What Can We Learn from Human Perception?
In: PRICAI 2010: Trends in Artificial Intelligence, 11th Pacific Rim International Conference on Artificial Intelligence, Springer, Berlin, Germany, 1-3.
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Chuang LL , Bieg H-J , Bülthoff HH and Fleming RW (August-2010) Measuring unrestrained gaze on wall-sized displays
28th Annual European Conference on Cognitive Ergonomics (ECCE '10), ACM Press, New York, NY, USA, 347-348.
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Bieg H-J , Chuang LL , Fleming RW , and Bülthoff HH (March-2010) Eye and Pointer Coordination in Search and Selection Tasks
Symposium on Eye Tracking Research and Applications (ETRA 2010), ACM Press, New York, NY, USA, 89-92.
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Bieg H-J , Chuang LL and (August-2009) Gaze-Assisted Pointing for Wall-Sized Displays
In: Human-Computer Interaction: INTERACT 2009, 12th IFIP TC 13 International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, Springer, Berlin, Germany, 9-12.
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Herholz S , Chuang LL , Tanner TG , Bülthoff HH and Fleming RW (October-2008) LibGaze: Real-time gaze-tracking of freely moving observers for wall-sized displays
13th International Fall Workshop on Vision, Modeling, and Visualization (VMV 2008), IOS Press, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 101-110.
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Chuang L , Vuong QC , Thornton IM and Bülthoff HH (August-2005) Recognizing novel deforming objects
2nd Symposium on Applied Perception in Graphics and Visualization (APGV 2005), ACM Press, New York, NY, USA, 158-158.
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Posters (12): | |
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Lee J , Bieg H-J , Bülthoff HH and Chuang LL (October-2011): Fast fitting for a saccadic reaction time model, 12th Conference of Junior Neuroscientists of Tübingen (NeNA 2011), Heiligkreuztal, Germany.
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Chuang LL and Souman JL (September-2011): Object speed estimation during walking does not add up, Bernstein Cluster D Symposium: Multisensory Perception and Action.
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Chuang L , Bülthoff HH and Souman J (September-2011): The center-surround effect in visual speed estimation during walking, 34th European Conference on Visual Perception, Toulouse, France, Perception, 40(ECVP Abstract Supplement) 129.
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Bieg H-J , Chuang LL and Bülthoff HH (August-2010): Does adding a visual task component affect fixation accuracy?, 33rd European Conference on Visual Perception, Lausanne, Switzerland, Perception, 39(ECVP Abstract Supplement) 35.
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Chuang LL , Herholz S , Bülthoff HH and Fleming R (August-2009): Head mobility influences gaze behavior across natural viewing tasks, 32nd European Conference on Visual Perception, Regensburg, Germany, Perception, 38(ECVP Abstract Supplement) 166.
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Bieg H-J , Chuang LL and (August-2009): Influences of task complexity and individual differences on the performance of gaze-assisted human-machine interfaces, 32nd European Conference on Visual Perception, Regensburg, Germany, Perception, 38(ECVP Abstract Supplement) 172.
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Chuang LL , Vuong QC , Thornton IM and Bülthoff HH (September-2007): Human observers use personal exploration patterns in novel object recognition, Perception, 36(ECVP 2007 Abstract Supplement) 49.
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Chuang LL , Vuong QC , Thornton IM and Bülthoff HH (July-2007): Personal Exploratory Experience of an Object Facilitates Its Subsequent Recognition, 10th Tübinger Wahrnehmungskonferenz (TWK 2007), 10.
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Vuong QC , Schultz J and Chuang L (September-2006): Human perception and recognition of metric changes of part-based dynamic novel objects, Perception, 35(ECVP Abstract Supplement) 99.
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Chuang L , Vuong QC , Thornton IM and Bülthoff HH (June-2006): Role of familiar object motion in recognising objects across viewpoints, Journal of Vision, 6(6) 314.
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Chuang L , Vuong QC , Thornton IM and Bülthoff HH (March-2006): Recognizing Dynamic Object Across Viewpoints, 9th Tübinger Wahrnehmungskonferenz (TWK 2006), 9.
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Chuang L , Vuong QC and Thornton IM (August-2005): Sequence selectivity of form transformation in visual object recognition, 28th annual meeting of the European Conference on Visual Perception (ECVP 2005), A Coruña, Spain, Perception, 34(ECVP Abstract Supplement) 130.
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Theses (1): | |
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Chuang LL : Recognizing Objects From Dynamic Visual Experiences, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, (2011).
PhD thesis
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Talks (12): | |
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Chuang L (November-2-2011): Perception of the active observer, Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Osnabrück, Osnabrück, Germany.
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Chuang L (October-2011): Moving objects: From object speed estimation to object exploration, Department of Psychology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
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Chuang L (October-2011): The active observer: Implications for science and engineering, TNO Human Factors, Soesterberg, Netherlands.
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Chuang L (August-29-2011): How do we seek out information?, D-CIS Lab Colloquium, Delft, Netherlands.
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Chuang L (November-2006): An active approach to object recognition, NENA 2006. |
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Vuong QC , Pilz KS and Chuang L (August-2006): Motion from the bottom up: From detection to cognition, European Conference on Visual Perception, St. Petersburg. |
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Chuang L , Vuong QC , Thornton IM and Bülthoff HH (November-9-2005): Recognising novel deforming objects, Object Perception, Attention and Memory, Toronto, Canada. |
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Chuang L (August-2005): Motion matters: learning dynamic objects, Sensational Seminar Series, School of Psychology, Cardiff University. |
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Chuang L , Vuong QC and Thornton I (March-2005): Recognising Flubber: Role of motion in visual object recognition, Brainstorming Colloquim, Department of Psychology, University of Manchester. |
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, Chuang L and (January-2004): The importance of motion for learning and recognising faces., 76th Vision Seminar, ATR Laboratories, Japan. |
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, Chuang L and (September-2003): The role of motion in learning new faces., European Conference on Cognitive Psychology, Granada, Spain. |
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and Chuang L (July-2003): What aspects of facial motion are beneficial for recognition?, 12th International Conference on Perception and Action, Perth, Australia. |