The MeetingMachine: interactive workspace support for nomadic users

Ubiquitous computing embraces both nomadic computing and infrastructure-rich interactive workspaces. Although most effort in these areas to date has focused narrowly on one domain, there are interesting challenges at their intersection. To start a discussion on how some of the benefits of interactive workspaces can be provided to nomadic users, we present MeetingMachine, a digital media projector that incorporates both interactive workspace and nomadic computing technologies in an appliance form factor. As a research effort, the MeetingMachine attempts to bridge the gap between space-embedded and mobile computing models of ubiquitous computing, specifically focusing on the task of sharing information brought into and created during meetings. As a prototype artifact, the design of the MeetingMachine seeks to place ubiquitous computing technology into an appliance, whose role would be similar to that of a digital projector or conference room telephone.