virtual offices

bThere Technologies“better than being there”

Ralph Sklarew rsklarew@gmail.comJulia Loughran loughran@thoughtlink.com

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Coalition Working on Common Vision

Experience and interest in

– Application development

– Human factors and usability

– Virtual team, meeting and leadership: development, support and evaluation

– Branding and marketing

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Our Common Vision

• Online workplaces are 3D simulated collaborative settings for distributed teams to really work together

• Business model: purchase or rental of full offices or meeting rooms with supporting services through software licensing and consulting

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Using bThere

Brings context to collaboration with “place”– participants visualized in settings – move about, see and talk with each other – use simulated equipment (apps, services)– immersive, focused, high “brainwidth”

Any computer can host shared workspace: – cell phone with a thin client– fully immersive PC system

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Workspaces: Simulated Settings

• Meeting and conference rooms

• Convention facilities

• Bullpen of individual cubicles

• Full service offices

• Informal spaces

• Aesthetic scenes

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bThere Advantages

• Workplace that is recognizable and meaningful

• Integrates people, places, software and services

• Subsumes current 2D document metaphor

• Control over decoration, objects and animation

• Greater focus and higher bandwidth into brain

• Enables imagination by reducing constraints

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Design Goals

• Productivity enhancement for individuals and teams

• Simplicity for new users and power for pros

• Delight in aesthetics and affordances

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1. Tech Requirements

• High fidelity avatar– user likeness for recognition & trust in business – mimic user actions: lip sync, facial expressions,

gestures, body language

• Simple and powerful commands– view point: zoom, pan, scan– actions: movement, equipment use, interaction – keyboard, position controller, on-screen buttons, voice

• User control– decorate, build, animate, simulate

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2. Tech Requirements

• Streaming multimedia– multiple streams

– direction and position dependent

– voice: positional, transcription by recognition

• Recording– audio, video, re-play, indexed by transcript

• Application and services integration– represented as office equipment and

facilities within the setting

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3. Tech Requirements

• High fidelity environment– business setting, equipment and facilities– white board, projector, computer, wall charts, TV

• User system– thin client (no software installation) for cell phones,

PDAs, and public and shared PCs– full immersion with multiple displays, microphones

and speakers (or headset), and cameras

• Installable– public, private, secure servers– interoperable avatar and assets

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bThere Markets

Start with small group workplaces• Meeting rooms

– teleconference, telepresence– presentations, discussions, training

• Offices– home office, shared offices, telecommute centers– virtual teams for remote offices, consulting and

contracting, outsourcing– travel facilities: airports, hotels, conventions

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1. “better than being there”

Better than voice, video, web conferencing

– shared space to really work together

– individual controls his view, movement,interaction and equipment

– fuller engagement, more focus

– higher bandwidth into brain

– at a user’s desk, cell phone

– always on (like IM)

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2. “better than being there”

Better than software

– simulated place to personalize

– recognized place for work

– integrates applications and services

– extends 2D document metaphor

– teams work together

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3. “better than being there”

Better than being there in person– reduced travel time, cost, risk, stress– integration of applications and services in

innovative ways beyond reality– mutable physics: fly, teleport, explore within

operating (simulated) systems – only limited by imagination with

“holo decks” and “replicators”

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DreamTai Office 3D Data Display

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