INTERACTIVE WORKSPACE CAPACITIES SUPPORT USE CASE
A use case needs to be supported by proper capabilities, or functionalities, of an interactive workspace so that the tasks in the use case can be carried out in an effective manner. Take facility maintenance design review use case as an example, for the reviewers to examine walkthrough models collaboratively, the interactive workspace needs to have model visualization functionalities. If the maintenance staff needs to test the navigation of tight space in a mechanical room, motion tracking functionalities may be necessary. This page documents a taxonomy of the capacities of an interactive workspace.
TAXONOMY OF INTERACTIVE WORKSPACE CAPACITIES
The table below provides a taxonomy for categorizing interactive workspace capacities. A capacity is a high level function of the workspace, which can have different attributes when being implemented in physical workspace. The left column lists the capability and the right column lists the corresponding attributes of the capability to help further categorize the capability.
Adaptive Space Layout
Fully reconfigurable
Partially reconfigurable
Description:
Adaptive space layout allows the workspace to be reconfigured. Different activities or use cases may pose different requirements on the space layout. For example, in a use case that focuses on one to many communication, which can be one person presents to a group or a group watch the same on screen content, it is better to have the group facing the information source. However, if discussion or multiway communication prevail in the use case, space should be laid out in a way that communicating to any other participant in the meeting is relatively easy and natural. Fully reconfigurable space refers to the full mobility of all the fixtures, such as tables and chairs, in the space, so they can be easily rearranged for various purposes. Partially reconfigurable means part of the space is impossible or difficult to move and reconfigure.
Supporting components:
1. Movable furnitures (Chairs and tables)
Virtual Reality Capability —Motion Tracking
Infrared tracking
Magnetic tracking
Optical tracking
Description:
Motion tracking tracks the users head and body movement in certain space and adjust the viewport of the model so that the virtual world appears to be at right scale and perspective all time for the tracked user. Infrared tracking uses infrared cameras and infrared reflective markers. Magnetic tracking uses magnetic transmitter and attach sensors on the user to capture motions. Optical tracking uses image and depth recognition to capture user's movements
Supporting components:
1. Tracking Cameras
SUPPORTING COMPONENTS TO ENABLE CAPABILITIES
INPUT
Mouse & Keyboard
Description: Mouse is a pointing device that detects two-dimensional motion relative to a surface, and keyboard is used as a text entry interface to type text and numbers into a word processor, text editor or other programs.
Purpose: Perform most of basic and universal tasks
Touch Interactive Whiteboard
Description: A large interactive display that connects to a computer, with a projector projects the computer's desktop onto the board's surface where users control the computer using a pen, finger, stylus, or other device.
Purpose: Enable users to view and sketch drawings electronically
SMART Board
High definition video camera(s)
Description: The camera(s) are able to capture images of at minimum 720 scan lines at rates faster than 60 frames per second.
Purpose: Support clear stream transmission in video conferencing
Cisco Telepresence PrrecisionHD Camera
Wireless microphones
Description: The microphones transmit the audio signal from the microphone by radio waves to a nearby receiver codec, which recovers and records the audio.
Purpose: Necessary for communication in video conferencing
Revolabs Executive HD™
Gesture input device(s)
Description: User's finger movements are captured and analyzed, and then the device communicates this data to connected smart devices.
Purpose: Enable friendly input for specific purposes
http://www.ippinka.com/blog/ring-turning-gestures-shortcuts/
OUTPUT (VIDEO)
ICon Lab in University Park, PA
High resolution screens of large size
Description: The screens are able to display 3D and 4D models in stereo at full scale with semi-immersive or complete immersive setup. High flexibility of the device allows users to push various content sources to any of the screens.
Purpose: Enable stereoscopic full-scale virtual reality display(s)
Christie Mirage HD6K-M Projector
High resolution active/passive stereo projectors
Description: The projectors are able to provide 3D visualization with dual image processing capabilities. High image quality, reliability, and brightness should be secured at above average frequency (typically at 120Hz).
Purpose: Enable sharp 3D graphic presentation
Head Mounted Display Devices
Description: Graphic images are displayed on a screen or a pair of screens in the helmet. A tracking sensor in the device tracks where the participant is looking at. The display can then quickly display the correct image that reflects the user's view angle. This implementation enables the participant to look around the virtual environment in a way that is very similar to the real world.
Purpose: allow more immersive and sensitive virtual reality display
Christie 3D active glasses
Active stereo glasses
Description: Active stereo glasses shutters its lens frequently (typically at 60Hz) so that at a certain time only one of the eyes can see the image on display. The active glasses receives syncing signal from the display so that the shutter of the glasses is in sync with the refresh rate of the display. This way each eye is guaranteed to see a different set of the image that are offset.
Purpose: Enable users to receive 3D images
LCD video wall(s)
Description: A special multi-monitor setup that consists of multiple screens tiled together contiguously or overlapped in order to form one large screen. Screens specifically designed for use in video walls usually have narrow gaps between active display areas, and are built with long-term serviceability in mind.
Purpose: Support blended display on large plane
http://www.lontec-sac.com/videowall.html
LCD TV(s)
Description: High definition images are displayed at minimum of 1080p per frame.
Purpose: Support various uses including presentation and video conferencing
OUTPUT (AUDIO)
Surround audio system
Description: The system enriches sound reproduction quality with multiple speakers surrounding the users, and provides sound from a 360 degrees radius in the workspace.
Purpose: Support immersive audio feeling in presentation
JBL Speakers
Cisco Unified IP Conference Station
Video conferencing dedicated system
Description: The system is capable of distributing audio for telecommunication between people in real-time. Usually some devices such as speakers, amplifier, signal processor and echo cancellation mixer are included.
Purpose: Transmit high definition audio to facilitate remote conference
COMPUTING & PROCESSING
ICon Lab's Console at Navy Yard, Philadelphia, PA
Central Console or Workstation
Description: The central console provides all the general data processing power to facilitate proper operation on most facilities in the workspace. Usually it is installed with Professional or higher version of 64-bit OS.
Purpose: Fully support all potential hardware and software in Interactive Workspace
Access port(s) for portable devices
Description: Such device(s) has to support various types of data transmission interfaces, and typically is connected to the central console.
Purpose: Allow for multiple computers and/or workstations
USB Hub
NVIDIA Quadro K5000 Graphics Card
Stereo-enabled graphics card(s)
Description: The equipment(s) is necessary to provide high resolution graphic data at high rates to multiple displaying areas and devices.
Purpose: Support most visualization tasks
CONTROL
Control panel
Description: A friendly user interface is implemented on the (touch) panel to switch on and off all the equipments in the workspace. The control panel can also distribute visual and audio content to appropriate devices according to specific uses.
Purpose: Realize one-stop integrated control
AMX 7" Modero® Tabletop Touch Panel
Tracking cameras
Description: They are technically specialized cameras designed to detect user's movement, which facilitate delicate control over avatars and/or objects in presentations.
Purpose: Enable real-time control through tracking users’ movement
Multi-modal interfaces
Description: They are usually additional devices, such as wand, flystick, Xbox controller, to allow users to have advanced control over visual and audio content for specific uses.
Purpose: Provide enhanced experience in manipulating specific contents
