User`s guide

Adding infra-red transceivers together with software to transmit the data across the wall would
allow people with notebook or handheld computers to transmit computer files, memos, business
cards, and so on across the video wall (see Figure 5). Note that the IR boxes here refer to
infra-red transceivers, not the infra-red motion detectors as in Figure 4.
Figure 5: Diagram of proposed infra-red tunnelling system
The system would enhance the feeling of the “virtual room”, since this would allow some
non-audio-visual interaction to take place between the two rooms.
• Automatic switching. Currently, CSSE operates just two video nodes, one at Clayton and
one at Caulfield. However, in the future, more systems may be installed, requiring a way to
specify which video node to connect to. This could be done automatically if only two nodes
are in use (as in the video reciprocity system), or when a reduced set of nodes exists (e.g. two
video walls from the same campus are never linked).
This idea could be taken further so that a list of possible connections can be specified, and
these can be placed in order of preference. Additionally, a feature could be added to display
a list of available nodes, and to let the user manually select which node to link to. Such a
system would be absolutely necessary if two or mode video nodes were installed.
• Camera control. The camera is currently fixed, so that camera’s field of view cannot be
changed. If the camera could be controlled remotely, then panning and tilting and/or zooming
would be possible, giving users more freedom in what they look at. Panning allows the camera
to view to the left and right, tilting allows the camera to view up and down, and zooming
allows the camera to get a close-up or wide-angle view.
This would make communication easier, because the position where a person might want to
view the wall is not necessarily the best position for the camera to capture them. For small
groups (e.g. one or two people at each location), this could be important because of seating
arrangements at either location. For example, chairs might be placed beside tables, not in
front of the video wall. For large groups (e.g. six or more people at each location) this is even
more important because it is unlikely that a single camera view will enable every person to be
seen clearly.
In the latest computer science seminars that have been broadcast over the video wall, from
one campus to the other, a video camera on a tripod has been used, and has been controlled
by hand, so that it followed the presenter as he or she walked around. This is a good example
of how camera control could be used.
Currently, if a person is out of the camera’s field of view, they would need to move into
the camera’s field of view. If the camera could be remotely controlled, then this would be
unnecessary. It would also allow people to view speakers at meetings, and to focus on different
speakers as the speaker changed. Camera controls makes the system more useful in many
circumstances, particularly organised meetings and discussions.
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