Concept 1, consists of a table-mounted device with a built-in screen. The screen is attached to a tilting arm driven by a motor and belt assembly, all of which was placed upon a "lazy susan" rotating base driven by a motor below it. This model would sit on a table while in use with a USB outlet sending the call information from an external device. On the remote side, the user’s eyes would be tracked by an eye-tracking device located above their computer monitor. A major concern discussed was the use of the belt, which the previous ARGOS team found to be their biggest source of error when building their prototype. Additionally, the group wants to minimize the distance between the point of rotation and the screen to reduce stress and increase precision.
Concept 2 is an adjustable screen placed upon a telescoping stand that would be placed on the floor. All motors/actuators for changing the screen’s direction are located in the base. These actuators drive wires strung up through the stand to connect with the four corners of the screen, which is mounted on a 2-axis gimbal. The taught wires would be pulled/released in concert to tilt or rotate the screen along the two axes. The remote user is able to see via a screen-mounted camera, and the screen moves based on how close to the monitor’s margins the remote user focuses their eyes. More research would need to be done on actuating wire systems to determine the feasibility of this design.
Concept 3 was designed to be a stand-only screen assembly that could be placed on a stand or on a table. The built-in screen is tilted by a motor (the hatched rectangle) placed directly behind the screen. Both the screen and motor were mounted on a fork, which was rotated about a second motor to pan the screen. This design closely matches the ARGOS 2.0 alpha prototype design.
Concept 4 closely follows the first design. The major difference is that the vertical tilting motor rotates below the screen instead of behind it. This consideration about where to place the vertical tilt motor was discussed thoroughly by the group. Behind the screen allows for a wider range of motion and is placed less stress upon the motors. Meanwhile, underneath the screen allows for modular designs and consolidates the electronics into a singular housing.
Concept 5 envisioned something more akin to an iPhone or iPad charging stand (seen at top right) which could rotate and tilt the iPad while charging. The user's supplied iPad itself would act as the screen, thereby reducing costs. The main difference from the other designs was that the camera which displayed the room to the remote viewer was separate from the movable screen, and would therefore display a fixed view to the remote user while the screen is rotated to point to wherever within that fixed FOV the user looks. This design also included a laser-pointer peripheral, which would be controlled by the remote user to directly point to things in the environment. This idea was criticized for being unsafe, as the user could accidentally hurt the eyes of the people surrounding the device. However, the idea of allowing the remote user to more directly interact with the local users was noted.