Peter Tandler

Connectables: dynamic coupling of displays for the flexible creation of shared workspaces

We present the ConnecTable, a new mobile, networked and context-aware information appliance that provides affordances for pen-based individual and cooperative work as well as for the seamless transition between the two. In order to dynamically enlarge an interaction area for the purpose of shared use, a flexible coupling of displays has been realized that overcomes the restrictions of display sizes and borders. Two ConnecTable displays dynamically form a homogeneous display area when moved close to each other. The appropriate triggering signal comes from built-in sensors allowing users to temporally combine their individual displays to a larger shared one by a simple physical movement in space. Connected ConnecTables allow their users to work in parallel on an ad-hoc created shared workspace as well as exchanging information by simply shuffling objects from one display to the other. We discuss the user interface and related issues as well as the software architecture. We also present the physical realization of the ConnecTables.

Software Infrastructure for Ubiquitous Computing Environments: Supporting Synchronous Collaboration with Heterogeneous Devices

In ubiquitous computing environments, multiple users work with a wide range of different devices. In many cases, users interact and collaborate using multiple heterogeneous devices at the same time. The configuration of the devices should be able to change frequently due to a highly dynamic, flexible and mobile nature of new work practices. This produces new requirements for the architecture of an appropriate software infrastructure. In this paper, an architecture designed to meet these requirements is proposed. To test its applicability, this architecture was used as the basis for the implementation of BEACH, the software infrastructure of i-LAND (the ubiquitous computing environment at GMD-IPSI). It provides the functionality for synchronous cooperation and interaction with roomware components, i.e. room elements with integrated information technology. In conclusion, our experiences with the current implementation are presented.

Roomware: computers disappear and interaction evolves

We develop a comprehensive approach to the design of information and collaboration environments that support human activities by starting in the real world. Our goal is to design environments that combine the affordances of real objects with potential computer-based support in the virtual world. This combination generates hybrid worlds that have significant consequences for the design of human-computer interaction. Hybrid worlds allow human-information interaction and human-human communication to move into the foreground while the computer disappears into the background.

The BEACH application model and software framework for synchronous collaboration in ubiquitous computing environments

In this paper, a conceptual model for synchronous applications in ubiquitous computing environments is proposed. To test its applicability, it was used to structure the architecture of the BEACH software framework that is the basis for the software infrastructure of i-LAND (the ubiquitous computing environment at FhG-IPSI). The BEACH framework provides the functionality for synchronous cooperation and interaction with roomware components, i.e. room elements with integrated information technology. To show how the BEACH model and framework can be applied, the design of a sample application is explained. Also, the BEACH model is positioned against related work. In conclusion, we provide our experiences with the current implementation.

Roomware-moving toward ubiquitous computers

Collaboration between users and environments with multiple interconnected devices will determine, to a large degree, approaches to work and everyday activities. An example of this type of device is roomware, or computer-augmented objects resulting from the integration of room elements, such as walls, doors, and furniture, with computer-based information devices. The roomware components that we have developed at Fraunhofer IPSI support the vision of a future where our surroundings act as an information interface, and the computer as a device disappears from our perception. Three main observations influenced the creation of roomware components: the growing importance of information technology; the need to integrate information technology with the environment in which it is used; and the recognition that new work practices will emerge to cope with the increasing rate of the innovation.

Agilo: a highly flexible groupware framework

Today there exist many frameworks for the development of synchronous groupware applications. Although the domain of these applications is very heterogeneous, existing frameworks provide only limited flexibility to integrate diverse groupware applications in a meaningful way. We identify five variation points that a groupware framework needs to offer in a flexible way in order to facilitate the integration of diverse groupware applications. Based on these variation points, we propose a groupware framework called Agilo that tries to overcome the limited flexibility of existing frameworks by offering multiple realizations of these variation points and providing a modular architecture to simplify the integration of applications and the extensibility and adaptability to different application and integration requirements.

Architectural patterns for collaborative applications

There is currently little reuse of either design or code in the development of collaborative applications. Though there are some application frameworks for this domain, they tend to be rather inflexible in the functionality they offer. This paper seeks to provide design reuse in the form of architectural patterns that focus on low-level horizontal issues: distribution, message exchange, functional decomposition, sharing data, concurrency and synchronisation. We base these patterns on a number of well-established patterns in the domain of distributed applications, concentrating on the specific issues that are encountered in the domain of collaborative applications. We also outline the relation between these low-level architectural patterns and the high-level functionality that collaborative applications offer. By codifying this knowledge and experience in the form of patterns, we hope for a wider support of low-level architectural design to the community of collaborative applications and thus a further advance of the field.

Modeling groupware supporting synchronous collaboration with heterogeneous single- and multi-user devices

This paper proposes to separate clearly models for documents, user interface, tools, physical environment, and interaction to gain flexibility in adapting and extending these different aspects independently. In addition, a core model providing a shared-object space and multiuser event handling eases the development of applications supporting synchronous collaboration and multi-user devices. To test the applicability of this approach, this architecture was used as the basis for the implementation of BEACH, the software infrastructure of i-LAND (the future working-environment at GMD-IPSI). It provides the functionality for synchronous cooperation and interaction with roomware components, i.e., room elements with integrated information technology.

Supporting Synchronous Collaboration with Heterogeneous Devices

The increasing availability of mobile devices in today’s business contexts raises the demand to shift the focus of groupware framework design. Instead of solely focusing on functional requirements of specific application domains or device characteristics, nonfunctional requirements need to be taken into account as well. Flexibility concerning the integration of devices and tailorability of the framework according to different usage contexts is essential for addressing device heterogeneity. Besides flexibility, in order to support the development of real-world applications involving heterogeneous devices, robustness and scalability concerns have to be addressed explicitly by the framework. This article presents Agilo, a groupware framework for synchronous collaboration. The framework incorporates approaches addressing flexibility, robustness, and scalability issues. The combination of these concerns makes it suitable for development of collaborative applications involving up to hundreds of users. As an example application, a commercial electronic meeting system is presented by illustrating typical usage scenarios, explaining applicationspecific requirements and describing the system design.