AR-Jig: A Handheld Tangible User Interface for Modification of 3D Digital Form via 2D Physical Curve

We introduce AR-Jig, a new handheld tangible user interface for 3D digital modeling in augmented reality (AR) space. AR-Jig has a pin array that displays a 2D physical curve coincident with a contour of a digitally displayed 3D form. It supports physical interaction with a portion of a 3D digital representation, allowing 3D forms to be directly touched and modified. Traditional tangible user interfaces physically embody all the data; in contrast, this project leaves the majority of the data in the digital domain but gives physicality to any portion of the larger digital dataset via a handheld tool. This tangible intersection enables the flexible manipulation of digital artifacts, both physically and virtually. Through an informal test by end-users and interviews with professionals, we confirmed the potential of the AR-Jig concept while identifying the improvements necessary to make AR-Jig a practical tool for 3D digital design.