Virtual 3D Environments as a Replacement to the Desktop Metaphor Luke Rice, Dr. Zachary Wartell {lrice12,zwartell}@uncc.edu

In 1985, Windows 1.0 was introduced, being the first graphical introduced by Corp.

Since then, the desktop metaphor has been the dominant model for personal and business computing interfaces. Luke Rice, University of North Carolina Charlotte Research into alternatives to the desktop metaphor has been ongoing nearly since Zachary Wartell, University of North its inception. Carolina Charlotte Microsoft Task Gallery (Microsoft Corp.) Introduction • The Task Gallery was developed by The desktop metaphor has persisted as Microsoft Research as a way of the environment of choice in the personal organizing an environment around and professional computing environment individual tasks. since its inception over 30 years ago. Lifestreams (Yale) The model was chosen as one • Lifestreams attempts to organize all accessible to new computer users used computing items into a time-ordered to a physical for stream, with the past being completing the type of tasks the pictures/emails/etc received, and the computer was meant to assist with. future being upcoming events, reminders, to-do lists The purpose of this research is to explore alternatives to this metaphor and BumpTop(Bump Technologies Inc.) ascertain if and how the use of Virtual • Bumptop is a prototype desktop Reality technology can positively environment that attempts to model contribute to the expansion or the desktop using realistic physics. replacement of the outdated desktop Files are represented as boxes that metaphor can be positioned, thrown and stacked in 3D. This research studies specifically the management capabilities of the () desktop metaphor. It does not attempt to • Project looking glass was an attempt research or develop new information to make a 3D desktop environment. organization architectures or file PLG allowed the user to move and organization techniques. rotate windows in 3D.

Background The desktop metaphor was first introduced at in 1970. The Xerox Star was the first commercially available computer to implement this concept.

In 1984 the Apple was released, bringing the desktop system to a wider audience.

Research Conclusions

•Research prior work in the area to Through study of past research in the area, determine the status of other attempts at it can be concluded that the market has competing computing metaphors and not, of yet, dismissed alternatives to the assure viability of further research. desktop metaphor.

No viable alternative metaphors have been Identify reusable concepts in prior work • tested on a large scale or been given the to be incorporated into second chance to compete in the market place, generation prototype. making further research potentially

rewarding. • Create a prototype system to test assumptions. Prototype shows many of the basic • Prototype has to have enough functions of managing application windows functionality to allow it to be used can be completed in a 3D environment as a test-bed for specific using existing hardware and software. research questions later. • Explore novel interaction techniques using head-tracking Future Work and 6DOF input devices Further research in this area would include:

1. Further refinement of prototype Impact Data was gathered on a number of different academic projects designed as 2. Perform user studies to compare desktop metaphor replacements. performance against a traditional desktop environment. A number of concepts were taken from prior projects to be incorporated into a 3. Incorporate concepts from past working prototype if further research is research conducted. 4. Explore porting system to use Concept prototype was created with the more commercially available following functionality: hardware. • Explore uses of widely • Create and close application available interaction tools frames in 3D space (such as wiimote) • Move Frames in circular orbit • Explore lower cost and more around user widely available display • Move frames closer and further devices (large-format high- away from head-tracked camera definition display devices) • Rotate Frames horizontally and vertically.