Virtual Spaces for Intelligent Collaboration
Austin Tate & Ai Austin
Social Networking
Collaborative Systems
Instant Messaging
Agent Presence
Content Management
Intelligent Agents
3D Views onto the Internet
Community Knowledge
Semantic Web
Teleconferencing
Web Services
VoIP
Timeline for Virtual Worlds
• 1978 on – Multi-User Dungeon, Domain or Dimension –
via early Chat/IM
• 1990 on – MOO – MUD Object Oriented
• 1990 on – MMORPG – Massively Multi-player On-line Role
Playing Games
• Now – MUVE/VW – Multi-user Virtual Environments and
Virtual Worlds
• Next – External Content Management and Links to Web
Services
From Massive Magazine Issue #1
Meet & Chat
Shopping
Shopping
Entertainment
Clubs & Dancing
Sports
Locations
Locations
Corporates
Corporates
Education
Live Events
Special Events
Collaboration
Seminars – RL
SL
Vue – Virtual University of Edinburgh
A multi-disciplinary virtual organisation
exploring the potential of virtual worlds for
e-learning, research, collaboration & outreach
related to the University of Edinburgh
http://vue.ed.ac.uk
UoE in Vue
•
University Offices
– Corporate PR Office
– Development & Alumni
– Information Services
•
• IT User Services
• Library and Collections
• Talbot Rice Gallery
•
School of Informatics
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School of Education
Management School
School of Arts, Culture & Environment
School of Medicine & Veterinary Medicine
– Scottish Medical Visualisation Network
– Dick Vet
•
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Disney
EADS Atrium
Glenkeir Distilleries
Kodak
Slam Games
– National Museums of Scotland
Knowledge Transfer & Comm. Centre
– Greek Museums Indigo
Edinburgh-Stanford Link
AIAI e-Response, I-Room
HCRC/ICCS Eye Tracking Experiments Group
– MSc in e-Learning
– Higher & Community Education
– Child Development
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•
•
Vue Associates
Coming Soon
– Divinity/Comparative Religion
Vue Uses of Virtual Worlds
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Awareness, Recruitment & Promotional Activities
e-Learning and Social Networking Course Support
Distance Learning
Continuing Professional Development
Innovative Assessment Practices
PhD Research Projects using Simulations
3D View onto Historical Materials, Arts and Museum Style Access
Virtual Collaboration Centres
Links from Real to Virtual Meeting Spaces & Teleconferences
Alumni Networking
Courses:
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–
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MSc in Entrepreneurship – Business Building
MSc in Design & Digital Media
MSc in e-Learning
Management School Courses
MANY Others…
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Further MSc and other courses, Field Trips
Communication for Autism
Disability awareness
Arts Informatica & InSpace Link
Tutorials
Art Installations
OpenVue – Open Source Virtual
University of Edinburgh
Exploring the potential of open source virtual worlds
for e-learning, research, collaboration & outreach
related to the University of Edinburgh
http://vue.ed.ac.uk/openvue
Virtual Worlds – Multiple Levels
Publicly Accessible Grids
(e.g. Second Life, Opensim, Twinity)
Privately Managed Regions
(e.g. Opensim, OLIVE, Wonderland)
Specialised Simulations
(e.g. CRISP, Vega Prime)
Virtual Worlds - Systems Architecture
Asset
Grid (G) of 3D Region Simulators (R)
Server (A)
Emerging
Open
Source
Viewers
Emerging
Standards
Open
Grid
Protocol
Open
Source
User (I) &
Avatar (U)
Open
Source
API
$
Web Services
Emerging
Banks
UGAI: User, Grid, Asset, Inventory
R: Region
http://openvce.net
Open Virtual Collaboration Environment
• Web-based Collaboration Portal
– Drupal CMS
– Also explored Facebook, Google Groups, Yahoo Groups,
Ning Groups, Joomla CMS, Drupal CMS
– Linkups to external web services and gadgets
• Virtual World 3D Space
– Second Life
– Opensim (potentially behind a firewall)
• Virtual Collaboration Protocol
– Standard Operating Procedures
– FAQ and Tips
– Protocol (Rob Cross, University of Virginia)
Sandbox
Venue
Amphitheatre
I-Zone B
JOE
GeoDome
Orientation
Area
I-Zone A
Expo Pavilion
Central
Plaza
Project
and
Team
Suites
Hill Top
Links between Web Collaboration Portal and 3D Space
OpenVCE – Roles of Elements
• Blog – personal web log
• Forum – threaded discussion within community
• Wiki – community knowledge creation and refinement
• Book Pages – edited content and index pages
(change by admins and group leaders only)
• Comment – can be added to most elements
3D Space via Adobe Connect for Web Observers
OpenVCE – Event Participants
• Real Participant
• Virtual Participant
– Second Life
– Opensim
• Web Observer
– Adobe Connect
– Video Stream (H.264) in Web Page
Google Wave
Links between Web Collaboration Portal and 3D Space
Social Networking
Collaborative Systems
Instant Messaging
Agent Presence
Content Management
Intelligent Agents
3D Views onto the Internet
Community Knowledge
Semantic Web
Teleconferencing
Web Services
VoIP
http://vue.ed.ac.uk
This presentation is available on-line at:
http://www.aiai.ed.ac.uk/~ai/
Thanks to Second Life and other VW residents for their help in collecting materials for this talk
© 2009, Austin Tate & Ai Austin