Collaborative Virtual Environments

by Churchill, Elizabeth F.; Snowdon, David N.; Munro, Alan J.

• ISBN13: 9781852332440
• ISBN10: 1852332441
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-05-01
• Publisher: Springer Verlag

Summary

This volume provides a comprehensive introduction to the field of collaborative virtual environments. It tells you all you need to know about the latest technology, state-of-the-art research, and good working practice. The issues raised include: - what is a CVE? - what are the issues in the design of embodiments and objects within CVEs? - how can CVEs support collocated and non-collocated collaborative and cooperative work? - what are the best ways to provide awareness of the actions of others? - how can they support seamless interactions given differential computational resources? - what design issues arise from the meeting of social requirements and computational limitations? - what technical challenges face the designers of CVE systems? It will be invaluable reading for anyone with an interest in collaboration but will be of particular interest to researchers and students in areas related to computer supported cooperative and collaborative work and human computer interaction.

Table of Contents

List of Contributors	xi
Acknowledgments	xvii
Preface	xix
Part 1 Collaborative Virtual Environments (CVEs): Histories, Perspectives and Issues
Collaborative Virtual Environments: Digital Spaces and Places for CSCW: An Introduction	3	(18)
Dave Snowdon
Elizabeth F. Churchill
Alan J. Munro
Introduction	3	(2)
Collaborative Virtual Environments: Some Considerations	5	(8)
Themes Covered in the Book	13	(4)
Summary	17	(4)
Part 2 Technical Issues and System Challenges
Extending the Limits of Collaborative Virtual Environments	21	(23)
Mike Robinson
Samuli Pekkola
Jonni Korhonen
Saku Hujala
Tero Toivonen
Markku-Juhani O. Saarinen
Introduction	21	(3)
Support for Awareness of Other People	24	(4)
Support for Multiple Media	28	(7)
Support for Scalability	35	(6)
Summary and Conclusion	41	(3)
System Challenges for Collaborative Virtual Environments	44	(12)
Adrian West
Roger Hubbold
Introduction	44	(1)
Collaborative Virtual Environments	45	(3)
Structures for Modelling VEs	48	(6)
Conclusion	54	(2)
Understanding the Network Requirements of Collaborative Virtual Environments	56	(21)
Chris Greenhalgh
Introduction	56	(1)
User Behaviour	57	(4)
Process Behaviour	61	(3)
Distribution Architecture	64	(2)
Communication Protocol	66	(4)
Network Topology	70	(4)
Conclusions	74	(3)
Part 3 Bodies, Presences and Interactions
``He's Behind You'': The Experience of Presence in Shared Virtual Environments	77	(22)
Monika Buscher
Jon O'Brien
Tom Rodden
Jonathan Trevor
Introduction	77	(1)
The Ethnographic Study	78	(1)
Presence in Electronic Environments	79	(14)
Supporting Presence through Intersubjectivity and Learnability	93	(2)
Developing Engagement Properties	95	(3)
Summary and Conclusions	98	(1)
All That Is Solid Melts Into Software	99	(16)
Andrew McGrath
Wolfgang Prinz
Collaborative Virtual Environments Using Symbolic Acting	99	(3)
Symbolic Acting in Action	102	(6)
Results and Re-Design	108	(5)
Conclusions and Future Work	113	(2)
Virtually Missing the Point: Configuring CVEs for Object-Focused Interaction	115	(28)
Jon Hindmarsh
Mike Fraser
Christian Health
Steve Benford
Introduction	115	(1)
Objects, Interaction and VR	116	(2)
Approach	118	(3)
Furniture World: An Initial Investigation	121	(5)
Duplication World: Extending Action and Views	126	(7)
Discussion	133	(10)
Part 4 Sharing Context in CVEs - Or ``I Know What I See, But What Do You See?''
How Not To Be Objective	143	(17)
Kai-Mikael Jaa-Aro
Dave Snowdon
Introduction	143	(1)
Populated Information Terrains	143	(2)
Subjectivity	145	(4)
Creating a Subjective Environment	149	(3)
A Subject Application	152	(5)
Discussion	157	(1)
Summary	158	(2)
Supporting Flexible Roles in a Shared Space	160	(19)
Randall B. Smith
Ronald Hixon
Bernard Horan
Introduction	160	(2)
Kansas	162	(3)
Two Examples	165	(2)
Awareness and WYSIWITYS	167	(2)
Capabilities in the User Interface	169	(4)
User Interfaces to Dynamic Capability Acquisition	173	(3)
Conclusions	176	(3)
Part 5 So, Now We're In A CVE, What Do We Do?
Designing Interactive Collaborative Environments	179	(23)
Adrian Bullock
Kristian T. Simsarian
Marten Stenius
Par Hansson
Anders Wallberg
Karl-Petter Akesson
Emmanuel Frecon
Olov Stahl
Bino Nord
Lennart E. Fahlen
Introduction	179	(1)
Electronic Landscapes - The Web Planetarium	180	(6)
A 3D Collaborative Storytelling Tool: From Blob to Klump	186	(7)
Supervisory Robot Control and Mixed Reality	193	(4)
Potential Techniques for Spatial Interaction in Multi-User Surround Display Environments	197	(2)
Summary and Conclusions	199	(3)
Designing to Support Collaborative Scientific Research Across Distances: The nanoManipulator Environment	202	(23)
Diane H. Sonnenwald
Ronald E. Bergquist
Kelly L. Maglaughlin
Eileen Kupstas-Soo
Mary C. Whitton
Introduction	202	(1)
The Scientific Research Context	203	(9)
Design to Support Collaborative Cognitive Work Across Distances	212	(6)
Design Verification and Refinement: Guidance from Social Awareness Literature	218	(1)
Evaluation	219	(2)
Conclusion	221	(4)
Tele-Immersive Collaboration in the CAVE Research Network	225	(22)
Andrew Johnson
Jason Leigh
Introduction	225	(2)
Tele-Immersion	227	(5)
Current Applications	232	(3)
Lessons Learned	235	(3)
New Challenges	238	(4)
Summary	242	(5)
Part 6 The Emerging and Existing Cultures of CVE Communities
Designing an Emergent Culture of Negotiation in Collaborative Virtual Communities: The DomeCityMOO Simulation	247	(18)
Elaine M. Raybourn
Introduction	247	(1)
Communication in Virtual Spaces	248	(2)
Culture and Collaborative Virtual Community Design	250	(2)
The DomeCityMOO	252	(7)
Power Negotiation and Collaboration in DomeCityMOO	259	(2)
Conclusions	261	(1)
Lessons Learned for CVE Designers About Emergent Culture and Negotiation	262	(1)
Next Steps for Culture and Collaborative Virtual Community Design	263	(2)
Waterfall Glen: Social Virtual Reality at Work	265	(17)
Remy Evard
Elizabeth F. Churchill
Sara Bly
Introduction	265	(1)
The Waterfall Glen Project	265	(10)
Observations	275	(5)
Summary	280	(2)
The Role of the Personal in Social Workspaces: Reflections on Working in AlphaWorld	282	(15)
Avon Huxor
Introduction	282	(2)
The AlphaWorld Virtual Office	284	(5)
Beyond Encounters	289	(6)
Conclusions	295	(2)
References	297	(16)
Index	313