A Collaborative Design Graphical Tool Based on Interactive Spaces and Natural Interfaces: A Case Study on an International Design Project

In this paper, we present a computer assisted creativity tool based on natural interfaces that allows the creation of distributed collaborative workspaces by merging the real and digital worlds in a tabletop setting. These workspaces are used to promote the exchange and sharing of graphical information by simulating a physical workbench where designers traditionally work with paper sketches, images, and handwritten notes. Our tool allows users to manage and organize images and textual notes in a natural manner. The application is multiplatform with support for the TUIO protocol and can be run on one or multiple tabletops that can interact with one another. Each group of designers can use a tabletop system, which becomes an interactive window to a virtual common desktop. We present a case study where our team successfully implemented and tested the system in an international collaborative design project.