Overview
Universal Office Space
Prefab Room
ARea is a prefabricated office room that is designed such that the dimensions and layout are the same. This amplifies the feeling that each room is in fact the same room that colleagues are entering despite the distance. The fixed design also prevents remote users from clipping into the table or going through walls adding to the immersion. The room and elements within the room will be stylized with soft, non-abrasive colours to allow for the most effective use of the hololens as this can hinder the perception of projections.
Modular Office Room
The room is prebuilt and can be placed within a officehall as a box. The installation is done by our team.
Electrochromic Walls
The walls of the room will be made of electrochromic glass. This gives the dual benefit of having open room, allowing light and sight inside. And a closed room, allowing privacy (this can be for private meetings, less inhibitions when using the hololens, or more immersion in the online space). Turning the walls opaque also allows for auxiliary purposes. As the walls of the office will be left blank they can function as a board. Firstly, the walls can be physically written on with markers and erased with ease due to the material properties of glass. Additionally, papers, post-its and other brainstorming artefacts can be stuck to the wall.
Blending into Reality
Design Table
The touchscreen table approaches physical design sessions as closely as possible. The table uses very intuitive custom software, allowing up to eight people from different locations to work together. It can connect three rooms together to a maximum of 8 people.
Integrated Design
The table will incorporate a minimalistic design. This is because it is a tool to facilitate a greater purpose which is collaboration between users and should act in the background. Thus it should not be distracting.
Storage will be integrated under the table for documents, personal supplies and keyboards. This is designed to only be visible to the user in front of the table for a similar reason not being distracting.
Transform the Table
The height can be adjusted to transform the workspace from a sitting conference meeting to a standing brainstorm session.
4 Different Screen modes
Full Screen
The table functions as one big screen.
- Presenting
- Showing videos
- Browsing together
Duplicate 4
The table duplicates one interface 4 times.
- Share screen with 4 people
- Individual mode for taking notes
- Screen visible from every side
Duplicate 8
The table duplicates one interface 8 times.
- Share screen with 8 people
- Individual mode for taking notes
Shared Table
A physical desk to work together.
- Brainstorming
- Idea Generation
- Analysis
Intuitive Touch Controls
- Open menu: Double tap
- Create new canvas: Hold and drag
- Resize document: Pinch or turn two fingers
- Pass document to another person: Flick document in one direction
Supportive Shared Drive
The drive is the central system for documents within a company team. Users can upload files to this drive for quick access via the touch table and AR-glasses. Possible documents to upload to the drive are presentations, agendas, text files, drawings, CAD models, etc. New models that are created during a design session will directly be saved to the shared drive. As an additive feature, it is possible to connect a laptop to the design table for quick demonstrations without uploading content to the shared drive.
Best of both Worlds
Hololens
ARea utilises the hololens as it is the technology to enables immersive collaboration between users. It allows the user to see and hear persons from the otherside of the world within the same room. The hololens also will be calibrated with the table to allow files to be summoned directly to the table from the hololens. When not in use, the hololens will be stored in a lockable compartment which doubles up as a charging dock. This compartment is integrated into the storage unit.
Holograms
The main way users interact with ARea is via Holograms. Distant users are displayed as holograms in the room and files such as CAD models can be displayed as holograms. The users is able the pick-up and resize these model to present them to the other users or get a better look. Every users also has his own holographic display which can be used for accessing settings such as opening and sharing files.
A prototype is available to get an experience of the interface of the hololens
Additionally Included
Foldable Chairs
The chairs used is the oyster chair folding chair. They were selected because they have an adjustable height to snuggly fit underneath when pushed-in to be unobtrusive. This facilitates both sitting and standing work which requires space for users to move around.
Storage Space
A general storage is included for bags brought into the room and any selected office supplies the company requires. The storage will also fashion a minimalistic design to not distract from the function of the room.