Mobile Volu-Me: Handheld Volumetric Display Using Dynamic Projection Mapping onto Rotating Fans

Abstract

Hand-held volumetric images that users can move and orient in space can broaden educational, entertainment, and AR experiences without requiring head-worn devices. However, existing volumetric displays often rely on stationary bases equipped with precise motor control and sensing, limiting tangible and embodied interaction with the displayed imagery. We propose a mobile volumetric display that combines a multilayer hand-held fan with dynamic projection mapping, allowing users to manipulate a passive display object within an instrumented tracking and projection workspace. High-speed optical tracking estimates the object’s six-degree-of-freedom pose and rotation, and the renderer generates phase-synchronized frames in real time to keep the content registered to the rotating layers. A prototype that projects onto stacked fan-shaped disks supports phase-registered projection during handheld manipulation within the tested operating range. Technical measurements demonstrate that latency compensation improves projection alignment, and a preliminary user study suggests that the prototype can convey layered depth while users manipulate the fan. We demonstrate the approach on layered fan-shaped disks and spinning tops and discuss its potential extension to other rotating geometries.