Project Number

84

Title

The Responsive Workbench: A Virtual Working Environment for Architects, Designers, Physicians, and Scientists

Description

Non-immersive virtual environment workbench designed for real-world practitioners.

Contact

Bernd Froehlich

Affiliation

German National Research Center for Computer Science

Address

Department of Scientific Visualization 
Schloss Birlinghoven 
53754 Sankt Augustin, Germany 
+49.2241.14.2364 
+49.2241.14.2040 fax

E-mail

bernd@viswiz.gmd.de

WWW

Year

1994

Reference

SIGGRAPH 94 Visual Proceedings

Project Details

"The Responsive Workbench has been developed as an alternative model to the multimedia and virtual reality systems of the past decade." After analyzing the daily working situations of such varied computer users as scientists, architects, pilots, physicians, and service people in travel agencies and at ticket counters, it was recognized that almost nobody wants to live with simulations of their working worlds in a desktop environment. Generally, computer users want to focus on their tasks rather than on operating the computer. 
 
To this end, this interdisciplinary group (designer, architect, physicians) set out to design systems that respond and adapt to users needs, providing a responsive work environment. The initial result provides a non-immersive virtual environment workbench powered by graphic workstations, tracking systems, cameras, projectors, and microphones to replace a traditional multimedia desktop workstation. It is designed for both "guides" and "observers."

Sight

graphics workstations, projector displays, stereoscopic eyewear

Sound

embedded audio

Touch

data glove, Polhemus tracker, gesture interface

Smell

Taste

Other

Emergence

2 - Prototype, Components, Testing

Intent

2 - Technique (paradigm, human)

Primary

203 - interactive paradigm, technique

Secondary

310 - design

Remarks

Implementation details undocumented.

 

Last updated: 5 Jul 2002
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