Abstract

This paper is intended to introduce the system, which combines BodySuit, especially Powered Suit, and Second Life, as well as its possibilities and its uses in an artistic application. The system which we propose contains both a gesture controller and robots at the same time. In this system, the Data Suit, BodySuit controls the avatar in Second Life and Second Life controls the exoskeleton, Powered Suit in real time. These are related with each other in conjunction with Second Life in Internet. BodySuit doesn’t contain a hand-held controller. A performer, for example a dancer, wears a suit. Gestures are transformed into electronic signals by sensors. Powered Suit is another suit that a dancer wears, but gestures are generated by motors. This is a sort of wearable robot. Second Life is software that is developed by Linden Lab. It allows creating a virtual world and a virtual human (avatar) in Internet. Working together with BodySuit, Powered Suit, and Second Life the idea behind the system is that a human body is augmented by electronic signals and is reflected in a virtual world in order to be able to perform interactively.

• Suguru Goto, IRCAM, Paris, France