e-Campus from Lancaster university, UK

  • Context aware tour guide:
  • differentiator - like to deploy stuff, put units in the tourist info centre i.e. in the "wild"
  • You can't have ubicomp , ubiquitious computing, without deployment!
  • What is e-Campus?
  • large scale deployment of networked interactive displays across the campus
  • put 3 data projectors in underpass
  • hard, equipment not designed for 24/7 deployment
  • designed reliable system for 8000 pounds
  • lessons:
  • should have budgeted up font
  • want to create open infrastructure that's community resource
  • tell stories over place and time
  • adapt content as people pass by
  • We don't know how people interact with displays
  • Group interaction
  • Walk up and use
  • Stuck because how do you engage large amount of people
  • need creativity to figure out new ways
  • are using mobile phones for now
  • have to make this kind of thing lower cost and easier to maintain
  • Opening night was success
  • way too many people
  • complete rack of equipment: UPS, etc in dank underpass
  • Need tools to make content production easier
  • Learned
  • artists really cared about how content looked
  • No need to keep displays busy
  • Timing is important
  • Had to support a whole load of tools
  • Content is eveything
  • Decision: if no content, leave it off rather over-exposing
  • Campus map application:
  • base is phone with no software
  • hard to get people to install their custom java app
  • Nuffield theatre
  • something behind
  • Converging on a standard install that uses stock hardware not custom stuff
  • typical node is dual platform, pc linux running expiremental software + mac running sony ziis signage software
  • gesture based interaction using cameras built into phones
  • lot of contributed content
  • Lessons:
  • Be sensitive to situation/environment you are deploying in (e.g. can't interfere with exams with noisy exhibit)
  • Don't underestimate real deployment costs. Test where you are going to deploy.
  • Content is the system and how it's perceived. Need to moderate, garden and nurture content as always!
  • Where are they now?
  • 6 live sites
  • content is coming in
  • solid hardware and software platform?

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