How does virtual collaboration perform efficiently? This publication shows how to plan and operate efficient collaborative virtual environments. Five different use cases of a collaborative virtual environment are developed. For these five models network evaluation parameters are determined.
These use cases are evaluated using the three fundamental criteria of quality, time and cost. Network theory indeed does help us understand collaborative virtual environments. Network simulation allows for the manipulating of the elements and gives a view on changes in the structures and behaviour of the whole network.

How does virtual collaboration perform efficiently? This publication shows how to plan and operate efficient collaborative virtual environments. Five different use cases of a collaborative virtual environment are developed. For these five models network evaluation parameters are determined.
These use cases are evaluated using the three fundamental criteria of quality, time and cost. Network theory indeed does help us understand collaborative virtual environments. Network simulation allows for the manipulating of the elements and gives a view on changes in the structures and behaviour of the whole network.

Does network theory help to understand collaborative virtual environments? Which ideal network model is best suited for a collaborative virtual environment? Are “scale-free networks” better than “random” or “hierarchical networks”? What does modularity, efficiency and economy mean in terms of network qualities? How can spatial centrality and urban design tools be seen in this respect? This paper investigates these issues using the depiction of a collaborative virtual environment as an abstract network.

It was demonstrated that the interpretation of all five analyzed use cases remain inconclusive in some terms. But there are certain interesting tendencies.

Simulation and virtual environments meet in many issues. To illustrate, this paper will take a closer look at the philosophy of science, simulation and scientific modelling. We will learn that simulation is an interdisciplinary technique and collaborative virtual environments are a part of general simulation systems. Simulation itself works in three stages and supports the innovation process in its early stage. Qualities, advantages, disadvantages and application areas of simulation will be shown. Then we will have a closer look at the structure and principles of collaborative virtual environments. It is shown how time, space and organization influence the usage and behaviour of a collaborative virtual environment. General evaluation criteria of real-time systems are shown. Ongoing applications and projects will illustrate topical application areas.

Network theory does indeed help us understand collaborative virtual environments. One can depict all elements and relations of a virtual environment in an adequate and operational manner. Network simulation allows for the manipulating of the elements and gives a view on changes in the structures and behaviour of the whole network. Simulation allows us to go backward and forward in time, explore possibilities and understand scenarios of virtual environments, diagnose problems and constraints, understand behaviour and processes, find consensus and prepare for change, and gives possibilities for visualizing how to proceed.

Wolfgang Höhl (2015): Augmented Reality in Public Space

Augmented Reality may sound like Science Fiction. But the ongoing development of smartphones and tablets allows for many new and interesting applications in public space –  not only for experts, but also for the broad public. This lecture gives an overview on up-to-date AR applications in public space. This includes planning tools for engineers, politics and the public and a broad range of applications for tourism, education and entertainment.

On the one hand there are so called Augmented City Guides, Augmented Reality Games and Historic City and Architectural Guides such as the applications „Chronovizor“, „Landauer Walk“, „Time Traveller“ or „Zeitfenster“. On the other hand there are new tools for reviewing new planned buildings in public space such as the applications „Talking Places“, „Location-Based-Audio“, „Baukultur mit allen Sinnen entdecken und erleben“ (Discover and experience architecture with all your senses) and „Variantendiskussion im Entwurfsprozeß“ (Design Alternatives), „Augmented Collaborative Architectural Visualization“ and „AR-Bebauungsplan“ (AR Land Development Plan). These projects support the participation of citizens in an early stage of the planning process.

Technological requirements and components of an AR system will be discussed, showing contents and level of detail, server management and cloud based solutions, geo localisation and other tracking systems and marker based and markerless tracking systems. It will be shown, how technology and their components depends on content, level of detail and the intended target group. We all will be tensed, how the further development of sensors and interfaces will change the acceptability of AR systems in the reception of all users.

Programme and Speakers . AR Day at HFF Munich on 2015-02-24