This project will allow people in different parts of the UK to be able to work together in the same virtual space to accomplish joint tasks. This will be supported with standard network facilities, such as SuperJANET. Three testbed applications will be developed: one that will allow people to navigate through 3D representations of information spaces (Nottingham); for learning through the creation of a virtual classroom (Lancaster); and an environment to allow designers to work together to create geometric shapes, for example, in car design (UCL). The project has the backing of a number of companies, who will act as industrial "uncles", including BT, ARRL, BAe and DIVISION. A press release is available here.
Throughout this project virtual meetings are held, normally on a bi-weekly basis, between the three sites. Real time audio and a text window augment the virtual reality interface. These meetings are currently held in MASSIVE. To increase the diversity of the applications produced, each site is using a different virtual reality supporting system to develop their applications. Lancaster are using DIVE, Nottingham are using MASSIVE and UCL are using dVs.
A virtual meeting in progress
