Wearing another's personality

Abstract

ChameleonMask is a telepresence system that displays a remote user's face on another user's face. Whereas most telepresence systems are designed to provide the remote user with an existence via a teleoperated robot, the system uses a real human as a surrogate for the remote user. This is accomplished by the surrogate user wearing a mask-shaped display that shows the remote user's live face, and a voice channel transmitting the remote user's voice. The surrogate user mimics the remote user by following the remote user's directions. In initial experiments conducted, the surrogate tended to be regarded as the actual person (i.e., the remote user). We implemented applications the remote user gives the surrogate directions visually. We conducted user studies to determine how the remote user felt about giving directions to the surrogate and how the surrogate felt to be the body of the director. In the studies conducted, the director had the confidence to go outside with ChameleonMask and the surrogate tended to fulfill the director's requests and felt positive about being the surrogate.