A dynamic Bayesian approach to computational Laban shape quality analysis

  • Authors:
  • Dilip Swaminathan;Harvey Thornburg;Jessica Mumford;Stjepan Rajko;Jodi James;Todd Ingalls;Ellen Campana;Gang Qian;Pavithra Sampath;Bo Peng

  • Affiliations:
  • Arts, Media, and Engineering Program, Department of Electrical Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ;Arts, Media, and Engineering Program, Department of Electrical Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ;Arts, Media, and Engineering Program, Department of Electrical Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ;Arts, Media, and Engineering Program, Department of Electrical Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ;Arts, Media, and Engineering Program, Department of Electrical Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ;Arts, Media, and Engineering Program, Department of Electrical Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ;Arts, Media, and Engineering Program, Department of Electrical Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ;Arts, Media, and Engineering Program, Department of Electrical Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ;Arts, Media, and Engineering Program, Department of Electrical Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ;Arts, Media, and Engineering Program, Department of Electrical Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ

  • Venue:
  • Advances in Human-Computer Interaction
  • Year:
  • 2009

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Abstract

Laban movement analysis (LMA) is a systematic framework for describing all forms of human movement and has been widely applied across animation, biomedicine, dance, and kinesiology. LMA (especially Effort/Shape) emphasizes how internal feelings and intentions govern the patterning of movement throughout the whole body. As we argue, a complex understanding of intention via LMA is necessary for human-computer interaction to become embodied in ways that resemble interaction in the physical world. We thus introduce a novel, flexible Bayesian fusion approach for identifying LMA Shape qualities from raw motion capture data in real time. The method uses a dynamic Bayesian network (DBN) to fuse movement features across the body and across time and as we discuss can be readily adapted for low-cost video. It has delivered excellent performance in preliminary studies comprising improvisatory movements. Our approach has been incorporated in Response, a mixed-reality environment where users interact via natural, full-body human movement and enhance their bodily-kinesthetic awareness through immersive sound and light feedback, with applications to kinesiology training, Parkinson's patient rehabilitation, interactive dance, and many other areas.