DICE Project - Dismounted Incident Collaboration Environment

Beyond the initial workplan and deliverables which will be summarized and linked here for convenience... this page provides other useful information for the project.

DICE Events and Meetings

DICE Functional Requirements versus Platforms 

DICE Requirements and Collaborative Work Analysis (CWA)

JH: 27-Sep-2011:

I propose a slightly different set of row variables to evaluate the different platforms. I propose instead of going all the way down to the feature level, we bump up to the physical function level of the VCE CWA for distributed collaboration. We could evaluate each platform on a scale of 1-3, 1=little to no support, 2=moderate support, 3=considerable support. We could base the score on how many and/or how well the platform features support the physical function (e.g., MOSES supports written messages, spoken messages, and some deictic references fairly well if the VOIP is working well enough and therefore would merit a 2 or 3 in Explicit communication). We then could drill down for each or selected platforms to the feature/physical object level to further explain its support for each function.
 
Collaboration Platform Basic FunctionsCollaboration Platform Basic Functions
 
Issues to Address

Useful Links and Resources

DICE - Addressing Issues with Previous Experiments

This page is a list of technical problems identified during experimentation with OpenVCE, e.g. with the WoSCR community in 2009/2010. Where available, alternatives to address the issues are discussed.

  1. VoIP/Audio problems: A number of users had trouble with the audio capabilities. This was probably the most severe problem as it led to significant delays at the beginning of meetings and disruptions during the meetings. Spefifically, the following problems occured during the experiments:
    • Multiple I/O devices: When connecting a headset to a computer that has built-in speakers/microphone, Second Life must be configured to use the correct hardware. The corresponding option is not easy to find in the SL client. Also, SL sometimes does not recognize audio devices that are plugged in after the SL has been started. - This issue should be addressed by a tutorial introduction for new users, and it should be tested quickly before every meeting whether audio is working correctly.
    • Feedback loops: Users not using a headset, but having an open microphone often create an echo for other users when their microphone picks up the sound from their speakers and feeds it back to SL. - This problem does not occur with a headset. Otherwise the mute button should be used to break the feedback loop.
  2. Firewall problems: Second Life requies certain firewall wall ports to be open, which needs to be done well in advance to ensure access. - This issue must be addressed well in advance of the first meeting and usually requires system adminsitrators help. Usually this needs to be done only once.
  3. Viewpoint control: During the presentations it was difficult for users to view the screens showing slides (or video).
  4. Seek questionaire feedback from Jeff H.
  5. Blog about issues in adoption of virtual worlds for meetings (education) on 4-Oct-2011 at http://gridjumper.net/2011/10/04/real-barriers-to-virtual-world-use-in-education/
  6. Warburton (2009) paper provides a table with a rich variety of sync and async communications and presence indication methods, as well as listing some of the issues for usability of virtual worlds like Second Life for education and collaboration.
  7. Warbuton, S. (2009). "Second Life in higher education - Assessing the potential for and the barriers to deploying virtual worlds in learning and teaching", British Journal of Educational Technology, 40(3), 414-426.

DICE - Functionality vs. Platform Features Comparison Table

Previous work on OpenVCE.net to address WoSCR Community and related requirements

Initial custom selections from a range of platforms was replaced initially by a Joomla-based web portal, and finally a Drupal-based web portal was chosen by the end of June 2009 and continued to be in use to the end of 2011.

  • http://openvce.net/platforms-and-facilities  (mapping used in OpenVCE.net mid 2009 to mid 2011)
  • http://openvce.net/more (alternatives explored prior to choices made by mid 2009)
  • http://openvce.net/openvce-rep1 (report of status at mid 2009 - after which time the only major change was to change to using MediaWiki as the Wiki rather than the "Books" in Drupal.... which continue to be provided as edited "Knowledge Books". A custom sign-sign on mechanism was crafted using web browser cookies to link MediaWiki to the Drupal user name and password use)

Discussion Forum on Alterative Platforms and Facilities

  • http://openvce.net/forum-alternative-platforms - Discussion Forum on Alternative Platforms and Facilities (to be used for continuation of discussion)
  • blank = no meaningful support
  • + = moderate support
  • ++ considerable support
  • ? where we are unsure and may be experimenting

DICE Community Required Features versus Systems Table

Feature Drupal Drupal Organic Groups Drupal Views Calendar Events Messaging

WYSIWYG Editor needed?

Addon Wiki needed?

 3D VW Meeting Space Simplified Meeting Space Skype Custom or Others
Explicit Communication
Written Messages  -?  +   +      +  +  +  
Spoken Messages  -             ++  +?  ++  
Gestural Messages  -             +  +?  +  
Deictic * References   -?  +?          ++  +?  +  
Information Gathering
Activity Information from Objects  +            +  +  +  
Activity Information from People's Bodies  -            +  -   +  
Overhearing  -             +  - -  
Visual Evidence/ Feedback  +            +  - +  
Acquisition of Prepared Information  +            +  -  +  
Group Awareness  +  +          +  +    
Shared Access
Obtaining Resources                  +  
Reserving Resources and Time        +            
Protecting Work                    
Transfer
Handoff Object*   *=hand-over (data) object?  +?            +  +  +  
Deposit* *(data?)  +                  
  • * Deictic - see  http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/deictic - Grammar. specifying identity or spatial or temporal location from the perspective of one or more of the participants in an act of speech or writing, in the context of either an external situation or the surrounding discourse, as we, you, here, there, now, then, this, that, the former, or the latter.

DICE "Facilitated By" Table

Facilitated by Drupal Drupal Oranic Groups Drupal Views Calendar Events Messaging WYSIWYG Editor needed? Addon Wiki needed? 3D VW Meeting Space Simplified Meeting Space Skype Custom or Others
Mail                    
Text Chat                    
E-Mail                    
Microblogs                    
Telephone                    
Voicemail                    
Video Casting                    
Video Conf.                    
3D Meetings                    
RSS                    
Wiki                    
Blog                    
Newsgroups                    
Social Net.                    
App. Sharing                    
Calendar                    
File Sharing                    
Data Repos.                    

 

Issues to be Addressed

TBA

DICE I-Room

This page is a URL for a simplified 3D meeting space.. for experiments.  At present it is by no means as it will look eventually.

Register: For now use http://join.secondlife.com (later will be easier choices and setup in OpenSim wifi)

Download Viewer: For now use Current Linden Labs 3.x viewer from http://secondlife.com/support/downloads/

Go to I-Room: Use this link after viewer installed: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/VCE/20/60/501

See the notices outside and then come in and take a seat.

See the Second Life Quickstart Documentation for more assistance.

DICE I-Room Design and Rationale

Eventually the DICE I-Room is likely to be located on a dedicated OpenSim region where a range of simplifications can be made. The initial DICE I-Room is placed at 500m above an unused area of the region (VCE in Second Life) to be clear of all distractions and other objects.

Initial Web-based Arrival, Setup, Resources and Registration

A single web page at a stable URL will provide everything needed in as short a form as possible. This will be more controllable in OpenSim, with custom simple starter avatars (perhaps basic male and female with self selected colored shirts, ethnic skin color and hair).

Virtual Worlds Environment

  1. Fixed sun set at 11am (so no lights are needed and no changing arrival conditions for users are encountered).
  2. Arrival point: will be fixed for the plot so avatar arrive just outside the main meeting area and to the back of the meeting, out of normal visual direction for those already in a meeting.

DICE I-Room Design

 

  1. I-Room orientated pointing North for obvious orientation on arrival.
  2. Platform simply designed and colored. Walled so avatars cannot walk over edge, but not too high to act as a hard visual barrier, so looks open and airy.
  3. Main space 30m x 30m essentially square but with open doorway, and no roof. Unobtrusive 1m square floor tiling gives a grid for scale and perspective.
  4. Text chat range is 20m... so no avatars should be seated more than 20m apart. 
  5. An outside arrival area set behind the normal visual field of seated avatars in a meeting.
  6. Avatars seated generally facing the screens.
  7. Table in front of avatars to give a feeling of being round the table together.
  8. A separately placed sideways on "chairperson" seat.
  9. Some observer seats cleared at the back of the room.
  10. Seats simple, all areas can be clicked on for sitting. Seats set to allow single click to sit. One simple color for seats (could be different colors for different I-Rooms to allow instant differentiation).
  11. Clicker per avatar seat for basic interaction, voting and acknowledgement of some action complete, etc.
  12. Chairperson has clicker clearer (may not need to be visible to others?)
  13. Screens provided: 1. Central main screen with media on a prim and video capabilities, bookmarks for easy setup and meeting use, and also provided general URL and uploaded image capability on need. 2. General shared co-browser. 3. Blackboard/whiteboard for notes, text items, URLs and tags, etc.
  14. Arrival point information board.