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Interactive Computer-aided Distance Learning system using the Face Mouse and shared lecture-space Jin Hak Kim12 , Sang Chul Ahn1, Hyoung-Gon Kim1 and Hyeran Byun2 1

Image Media Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology 39-1 Hawolgok-dong, Sungbuk-gu, Seoul, Korea E-mail : {kjh, asc, hgk}@imrc.kist.re.kr http://imrc.kist.re.kr 2 Dept. of Computer Science, Yonsei University 134, Shinchon-Dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, Korea E-mail: hrbyun @cs.yonsei.ac.kr

Abstract: This paper proposes a new computer-aided distance learning system that provides people with a computer screen as a shared lecture-space and multiple mouse pointers that are distinguished by user Face videos.

1. Introduction Distance learning is instructional delivery that does not require student and teacher to be physically located at the same site. Distance learning is also called a distance education, cyber classroom and online courses. [1, 2] In the last several years, a lot of schools around the world have been using cyber classroom on the internet. It can be classified into two categories (off-line and on-line). Off-line courses have relied on pre-recorded lecture video files and lecture materials. What if we have a question during school hours? Usually for this, the off-line web-based learning system used to offer solutions like simple bulletin boards or e-mail. But student may get an e-mail reply 1 or 2 days after the class. So, it takes long time for discussion and question. This is an important problem as compared with face-to-face class. In some cases of on-line courses, they provide better methods like chat. It is more useful than offline courses because chat enables real-time Q&A and quiz. But it still has limitations.

right-top is a lecture material. The bottom is a chatting window. As can be seen in figure 1, teacher, students and lecture space (materials) are separated in an on-line course. Teacher and students have difficulties to indicate specific items in a lecture material when they teach and discuss over it. This is the main limitation of current distance learning systems. Thus, we propose a new interactive computer-aided distance learning system. The right part of figure 1 shows the proposed system. In the proposed system, teacher, students and shared lecture space (materials) are not separated as face-to-face classroom. In this way, the proposed system provides teachers and students with some of intuitive interaction methods like pointing at important items on a lecture material. Teacher can show online application demo to students, too. They can discuss using voice while they are seeing each other by face video. Thus, the proposed system provides a learning environment similar to face-to-face classroom. This is the main contribution of the proposed system.

2. System Overview Figure 2 shows the configuration of the proposed system.

Figure 1. Existing distance learning vs. Proposed system In a face-to-face classroom, teacher, students and lecture space (materials) are not separated. They can discuss by pointing at a lecture material and by writing and drawing on it. Students are free to ask their own questions. They don’t have to wait to get a reply because teacher can answer immediately. Teacher can answer to students while he is drawing (writing) figures to chalkboard. So student can understand the lecture more easily. The left of figure 1 shows a screen shot of an existing distance learning system. The left-top of the existing distance learning system is the video of a teacher. The

Figure 2. Configuration of the proposed system. The proposed system uses a computer screen as a shared lecutre space for interactive computer-aided distance learning system. Here we call ‘Server’ a computer that provides its screen as a shared lecture space, and ‘Client’ a computer that shows remote server screen to user. Not only the user of server but also users of client computers can control the server computer by their mice. As can be seen in figure 2, each client sends face video of its user to the

server, and the server composites the face videos on its screen. The face video is used for the mouse pointer as well as video communication at the same time. Since Face mouse (refer to chapter 4) is a mouse, its position is dynamically controlled by user. It is different from existing web-based distance learning system where interaction method are limited. For the voice communication channel, the proposed system uses ‘Speak freely’ that is another open source program.

3. VNC In order to provide a shared lecture space, we need remote computer sharing. There are several programs for remote computer sharing such as VNC, pcAnywhere, Windows Terminal Service. But, we decided to adopt and to modify VNC(Virtual Network Computing) program because VNC is open source and has been stabilized for a long time. VNC was originally developed by Olivetti Research Laboratory (ORL) in Cambridge, UK[3,4]. Using VNC, several users can see the same screen and data that they want to share. Therefore, VNC is appropriate for providing a shared lecture space. Figure 2 shows that the clients share the server screen at the same time using VNC. In figure 2, client screen shows small server screen through the VNC program. Since VNC offers multi sessions at the same time, several users can connect to a server and control the mouse pointer of the server.

4. Face mouse As mentioned before, VNC provides only sharing of a mouse for multiple users. So, if several users through VNC operate the mouse of a server, it can be very confusing because users cannot know who is controlling the mouse. Thus, we need to provide multiple mouse pointers and a discrimination method for effective interaction and collaboration. We implemented so-called ‘Face mouse’ to solve the identification problem of mouse pointers along with the problem of video transmission.[5] Face mouse is a mouse followed by a video that is showing a face. On the shared lecture space, the server computer overlays face videos that are received from client computers. Additionally, it adds a mouse icon to the top-left side of each face video so that it looks like a mouse pointer. For more visual effect, it can make background areas transparent in face videos.[6] Figure 2 shows that faces of users are displayed on the screen of the server computer. They are the Face mice that act as mouse pointers while they are showing user’s faces. Face mouse tries to alleviate the interaction problem of existing system by attaching face video to a mouse and by moving face video over a shared lecture space.

5. Modification of VNC Still Face mouse is not an actual mouse pointer since it does not have control of computer. The control of computer can be provided by VNC. VNC enables remote users to share mouse control of a local computer. However, when several users try to control the mouse at the same time, they compete each other, and motion of the mouse may become confusing. Therefore, we removed mouse motion control

function from VNC. Instead, Face mouse replaces it and shows the motions of user mice. When modified VNC receives a click event, it moves the system mouse to a relevant position and does a click action. Now, the client program, the server program, and the modified VNC function cooperate each other and form the proposed distance learning system.

6. Conclusion The existing distance learning systems have a problem that teacher, students and lecture space (materials) are separated and limit interactions among them. Thus, this paper proposed a new interactive computer-aided distance learning system that provides a shared lecture space and interaction methods among teacher, students, and lecture space(material). In order to provide a shared lecture space, we adopted and modified VNC. We also implemented socalled ‘Face mouse’ to solve the interaction problem. Face mouse is a mouse followed by a video that is showing a face. So, it provides video communication channel and identification of mouse pointers. In this way, the proposed system provides a learning environment similar to face-toface classroom.

7. Appendix The program of the proposed Face mouse system can be downloaded from http://www.facemouse.org

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