An architecture for virtual reality, audio, video, text, and document handling in applications supporting multi-person interactions

Abstract

There are limitations to Internet, networked PC, and mobile device document handling and communication services and applications. In general, these do not provide for awareness of, and communication with others while working on documents. Limiting services in this way runs contrary to major findings from CSCW: users move between media and devices promiscuously; combine applications and media in effective, but idiosyncratic ways; and need awareness of others and their activities for successful accomplishment of much work. This awareness, whether backgrounded or foregrounded, needs to be constantly available/present. The paper presents a scalable architecture for handling multiple media (VR, video, audio, text, and documents) and devices where awareness of others/activities can be almost universally provided. Important features are presentation level integration and choices between media. These support new approaches to collaborations involving arbitrary combinations of documents, people, media and access devices.