Ubi-jector: an information-sharing workspace in casual places using mobile devices

Abstract

The widespread use of mobile devices has transformed casual places into meeting places. However, in these places, it is uncommon to have shared information workspace such as a beam projector, making it inconvenient and inefficient to exchange information and to get a direct feedback. To address this challenge, we present Ubi-jector, a mobile system that provides a shared information space that is equally distributed to each participant's mobile device and allows group members to share documents and collaborate real-time. We first characterized the information sharing patterns and identified the limitations of the current practice in meeting places without a shared workspace, by conducting qualitative user studies. Next, we implemented Ubi-jector with the design guidelines drawn in the prior stage. Also, we performed an evaluation study that showed the possibilities of Ubi-jector to facilitate an effective information sharing and foster an active participation even in poorly-equipped environments.