Collaborative interaction in immersive 360º experiences

Os sistemas de reprodução de vídeo tornaram-se, a cada dia, mais habituais e utilizados. Consequentemente, foram criadas extensões desta tecnologia permitindo colaboração multipessoal de modo a poder assistir remotamente e sincronamente. Exemplos conhecidos são o Watch2gether, Sync Video e Netflix Party, que nos permitem assistir vídeos síncrona e remotamente com amigos. Estas aplicações de visualização conjunta, apesar de bem desenvolvidas, estão limitadas ao típico formato, não se estendendo a vídeos 360. O principal objetivo deste projeto é então expandir a pesquisa nesta área ao desenvolver um sistema colaborativo para vídeos 360. Já foram direcionados vários esforços na área de vídeos 360o, um deles sendo o projeto AV360, aplicação que permite ao utilizador visualizar e editar este tipo de vídeos com anotações e guias. O sistema que se pretende integrar é um seguimento ao AV360, utilizando parte das tecnologias já implementadas. De maneira a compartimentalizar e facilitar a pesquisa são considerados os seguintes temas de forma individual: a visualização de vídeos 360o, a generalidade dos sistemas colaborativos, a aplicação de colaboração em ambientes virtuais e os sistemas de vídeo colaborativos. É importante ter noção das vantagens e desvantagens de assistir a um vídeo 360o, conseguir retirar o que é a essência nestes vídeos e mantê-la, integrando também a inclusão de outros utilizadores. Na escolha das atividades colaborativas a aplicar, é imprescindível analisar o estado em que os sistemas colaborativos se encontram hoje em dia e posteriormente afunilar a pesquisa para a colaboração em ambientes virtuais e em vídeos. Dentro de todos os métodos analisados só os adaptáveis a ambientes imersivos e a vídeos são escolhidos e desenvolvidos neste projeto. Com base numa pesquisa aprofundada sobre o assunto, é criado um sistema de colaboração em vídeos 360o. O software permite que os utilizadores assistam em simultâneo a um vídeo enquanto comunicam de uma forma verbal e não verbal para se expressarem e partilharem a experiência do momento. Este trabalho tem em mente que parte das ideias implementadas possam ser reutilizáveis para outros projetos de experiências imersivas

A component-based collaboration infrastructure

Groupware applications allow geographically distributed users to collaborate on shared tasks. However, it is widely recognized that groupware applications are expensive to build due to coordination services and group dynamics, neither of which is present in single-user applications. Previous collaboration transparency systems reuse existing single-user applications as a whole for collaborative work, often at the price of inflexible coordination. Previous collaboration awareness systems, on the other hand, provide reusable coordination services and multi-user widgets, but often with two weaknesses: (1) the multi-user widgets provided are special-purpose and limited in number, while no guidelines are provided for developing multi-user interface components in general; and (2) they often fail to reach the desired level of flexibility in coordination by tightly binding shared data and coordination services. In this dissertation, we propose a component-based approach to developing group- ware applications that addresses the above two problems. To address the first prob- lem, we propose a shared component model for modeling data and graphic user inter- face(GUI) components of groupware applications. As a result, the myriad of existing single-user components can be re-purposed as shared GUI or data components. An adaptation tool is developed to assist the adaptation process. To address the second problem, we propose a coordination service framework which systematically model the interaction between user, data, and coordination protocols. Due to the clean separation of data and control and the capability to dynamically "glue" them together, the framework provides reusable services such as data distribution, persistence, and adaptable consistency control. The association between data and coordination services can be dynamically changed at runtime. An Evolvable and eXtensible Environment for Collaboration (EXEC) is built to evaluate the proposed approach. In our experiments, we demonstrate two benefits of our approach: (1) a group of common groupware features adapted from existing single- user components are plugged in to extend the functionalities of the environment itself; and (2)coordination services can be dynamically attached to and detached from these shared components at different granules to support evolving collaboration needs

Designing together apart : computer supported collaborative design in architecture

The design of computer tools to assist in work has often attempted to replicate manual methods. This replication has been proven to fail in a diversity of fields such as business management, Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and Computer- Supported Collaborative Work (CSCW). To avoid such a failure being repeated in the field of Computer-Supported Collaborative Design (CSCD), this thesis explores the postulation that CSCD does not have to be supported by tools which replicate the face-to-face design context to support distal architectural design. The thesis closely examines the prevailing position that collaborative design is a social and situated act which must therefore be supported by high bandwidth tools. This formulation of architectural collaboration is rejected in favour of the formulation of a collaborative expert act. This proposal is tested experimentally, the results of which are presented. Supporting expert behaviour requires different tools than the support of situated acts. Surveying research in computer-supported collaborative work (CSCW), the thesis identifies tools that support expert work. The results of the research is transferred to two contexts: teaching and practice. The applications in these two contexts illustrate how CSCD can be applied in a variety of bandwidth and technological conditions. The conclusion is that supporting collaborative design as an expert and knowledge-based act can be beneficially implemented in the teaching and practice of architecture

Collaborative technologies for mobile workers and virtual project teams

Information Technology is advancing at a frightening pace. Cloud computing and its subset, Software as a Service (SaaS), are rapidly challenging traditional thinking for enterprise-level application and infrastructure provision. The project-centric nature of the construction industry provides an environment where the utilisation of SaaS is commercially appropriate, given its ability to provide rapid set-up and predictable costs at the outset. Using project extranets, the construction industry has been - unusually for it as an industry sector - early-adopters of this cloud computing model. However, findings from the research highlight that there is a gap in the information and documents that pass from the construction phase into the operational phase of a building. This research considers examples of the SaaS IT model and how it has been used within a construction and facilities management industry context. A prototype system was developed to address the requirements of facilities management work order logging and tracking process. These requirements were gathered during detailed case studies of organisations within both the construction and facilities management sectors with a view to continue the use of building-specific information through its full life-cycle. The thesis includes a summary of the lessons learnt through system implementation within the construction-contracting organisation Taylor Woodrow, and it concludes with an IT strategy proposal that was developed based on a cloud computing model

A telepresence environment for concurrent life-cycle design and construction

Construction projects normally involve transient 'virtual organisations', where a multidisciplinary project team works together on the design and construction of a facility. Many of these participants often work independently while taking decisions that inevitably affect others. The research described in the thesis involved examining the adoption of concurrent engineering (CE) principles by the construction industry as a way to reduce the problems posed by the fragmentation of the industry, and to enhance its competitiveness. An important aspect of concurrent engineering in construction is the need for effective communication of design information between all members of the project team and across all stages of the constructed facility's life-cycle. The thesis describes the development of a communications infrastructure for Concurrent Life-Cycle Design and Construction. [Continues.