Mobile and Pervasive Computing: The Future for Design Collaboration - Mobile and Pervasive Computing in Construction - page 179

computing is to make computers invisible, that is, people will interact with smart
devices or objects in everyday life conveniently and naturally, without recognizing
the presence of computers and without significant cognitive effort” (Jeon
et al ., 2009). Indeed popular mobile devices such as mobile phones, PDAs and
iPADs have become common everyday objects owned and frequently used by
millions around the globe. It may be argued that these devices can well be parts of
the most common and important items in the contemporary society. Supported
with the even broader networked connectivity, the increasing use of social networks
and the enhanced capabilities of mobile applications, mobile and pervasive
computing has enabled and supported an important extension of our living
environments, where people can be connected and engaged in personal, social
and professional activities, including those for design collaboration.
In the remainder of this section, the CSCW framework is applied to further
characterize mobile and pervasive computing technologies for design collabora-
tion, from the time-place perspective.
Time-place Category 1. Same time same place (co-located collaboration)
Among the four different types of collaboration supported in CSCW, synchro-
nous co-located collaboration is most similar to the traditional face-to-face design
collaboration. Mobile and pervasive computing technologies provide more flexible
and intuitive ways of designing and communicating while co-located. This category
includes mobile devices developed as input and output tools for interaction and
collaboration, as well as pervasive computing that are location specific, providing
intuitive ways of embedding the design representation in the design environment
or on a construction site.
Mobile devices such as smart phones and PDAs have become a new generation of
input and output devices, offering a greater level of freedom in a design environ-
ment. The increasing number of mobile applications also starts supporting
professional activities such as those for design and management, beyond social
communication and gaming. Jeon et al . (2009) present applications that exemplify
such ideas. Mobile devices such as mobile phones and PDAs are used as new input
and output devices for multiple users to interact on large public displays, replacing
the conventional mouse and keyboard. Here a mobile phone indeed has become “a
wireless mouse” in their scenarios. The rationale of applying mobile devices as
input and output devices is based on the increasing capability of mobile phones: (1)
increased computational power; (2) integrated sensing devices, such as camera and
microphone; (3) improved communication modules, such as Bluetooth, wireless
LAN, infrared communication and UWB; and (4) the ability to be associated with
public devices. Mobile devices here are regarded as common “everyday” objects to
replace the conventional computer interfaces of mouse and keyboard, and this also
introduces an interesting use of mobile devices in ubiquitous computing.
Na et al . (2008) explored the use of mobile devices for multi-user interactions in
synchronous co-located situations. This project elaborates on the different layers of
the “same place” by integrating mobile with pervasive computing technologies. The
authors demonstrate a prototyping tabletop mobile AR system that integrates
handheld PCs with a conventional tabletop AR system. Multiple users are able to
interact collaboratively either directly on the tabletop system or through the