Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Cisco's Cius, An Ultra-Portable, Android-based Mobile Collaboration Business Tablet: Supports Real-time, HD Videoconferencing, and the "Cloud"
Credit: Wired Gadget Lab, CISCO
Here is a promotional video from Cisco that provides a few scenarios that highlight how the Cius can be used in a cloud-computing business environment. The Cius provides mobile telepresence capabilities. It runs on the open-architecture of the Android operating system.
Here is a video, recently uploaded by someone attending the from the "reveal":
Cisco Cius Demo at Cisco Live
From the CISCO Cius website:
- 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, 3G/4G data and Bluetooth 3.0 help employees stay connected on and off-campus
- HD video (720p) with Cisco TelePresence solution interoperability for lifelike video communication with the simplicity of a phone call
- Virtual desktop client enables highly secure access to cloud-based business applications
- Android operating system, with access Android marketplace applications
- Collaboration applications including Cisco Quad, Cisco Show and Share, WebEx, Presence, and IM
- 7” diagonal, high-resolution color screen with contact-based touch targets delivers an elegant, intuitive experience
- HD Soundstation supports Bluetooth and USB peripherals, 10/100/1000 wired connectivity and a handset option
- Detachable and serviceable 8-hour battery for a full day of work
- Highly secure remote connections with Cisco AnyConnect Security VPN Client
- HD audio with wideband support (tablet, HD Soundstation)
UPDATE
Pictures are from Jason Hiner's blog at Tech Republic:
Saturday, July 18, 2009
News about Smart Grids and Smart Kitchens
Duke Energy has established a Smart Grid in one of the neighborhoods in Charlotte, N.C. So what exactly does a Smart Grid look like? Take a look at the following slideshow:
So what exactly is a Smart Grid? It is a system to support "smarter" ways to manage and use energy, and utilizes intelligent sensors along power lines, communication nodes on utility poles, and Smart Meters at customers' homes. Duke Power has provided customers with home management systems to provide them with "timely energy usage information".
Here's the video:
Smart Grid: Virtual Power Plant
You can have a Smart Grid Kitchen along with your Smart Grid energy service, at least sometime in the near future. The pictures below are from CNET News:
It is networked via WiMax:
It comes with a lot of "stuff", hopefully it can be tastefully hidden or decorated:
I don't see a single woman in the GE Smart Grid Kitchen pictures.
Related:
GE SmartGrid Website
GE appliances to connect to smart grid via Tendril
Martin LaMonica, CNET News, 7/8/09
"The integration will allow consumers to control their appliances from different points, such a Web browser, iPhone, or in-home display."
Cisco to Use Its Own Home Energy Gear for Duke Smart Grid Rollout
Katie Fehrenbacher, Earth2tech 6/11/09
"The networking giant unveiled a deal this week that will see it lead a $1 billion smart grid infrastructure buildout for Duke Energy and Cisco tells us that for the consumer portion, it will largely be deploying its own smart energy home hardware, which includes Linksys products and “homeplug” devices that transfer data via power lines."
Privacy Challenges Could Stall Smart Grid
Susan L. Lyon, MatteRNetwork 6/1/09
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Technology-Supported Shopping and Entertainment User Experience at Ballantyne Village: "A" for concept, "D" for touch-screen usability
There is a relatively new shopping and entertainment center, Ballantyne Village, in Charlotte, N.C. that was developed in partnership with Cisco Systems Connected Real Estate and Intelligent Buildings. The goal of this project was to use innovative technologies to plan, implement, maintain, and update a customer and tenant-focused environment. This concept is sure to catch on.
Free WiFi service is available to visitors in and around the center, even at the fountain. The video security system is networked. In the movie theater's bathrooms, an e-mail is automatically sent to the manager's computer when the paper towel dispensers are low on paper. There are several interactive large touch-screen displays located around center. The displays can be easily updated to provide visitors with information about the various stores, sales, and types of activities available at Ballantyne Village.
I first learned about this center last year, when I was taking Human-Computer Interaction and Ubiquitous Computing. Since part of my work focused on large interactive touch-screen displays, I was interested to see if the screens at the Ballantyne Village center would hold up to usability standards. I had previously watched a promotional video about the center, and was hoping that the displays would prove to be "useful, usable, and used".
The promotional video will show you why I was excited about Ballantyne Village.
Purpose of my visit:
Since I was new to Ballantyne Village center, my primary goal was to quickly learn more about the shops, all located outdoors, and target my shopping around sales. Since it was a gray, cold, and rainy February day, I didn't want to spend my time exploring the center by foot. I also wanted to take a quick peek at the layout of the center to learn about other services, such as restaurants, coffee shops, and services, in order to plan ahead for future visits.
Critique
To get the full picture of my experience, first view the unedited video-clips.
Note: The narrative is what came out of my mouth as I interacted with the screens, and the perspective is first-person. This is NOT a polished voice-over.
First experience: Fade to red
Second Experience: Chasing the Red Ball
Third experience: Difficulty with navigation
The large interactive touch screen displays I found at Ballantyne Village didn't live up to potential, nor did they help me achieve my goals as a first-time visitor who happened to have some time and money for an after-work shopping session.
They displays were attractive, but they weren't very useful. They were difficult to use, and during the time I spent exploring the displays, I was the only person who interacted with the screens or noticed the other forms of digital signage in the area.
As I approached the first screen, I noticed that in order to activate the display, I had to chase a red ball around the screen. The migrating red ball attracted me to the screen, but it wasn't always functional. On the first display, as soon as I managed to touch the ball, the screen faded to red, and did not reactivate. I chased a ball on another screen, but it did not activate at all.
I was able activate another screen which allowed me to navigate and find more information. Unfortunately, the content wasn't well-organized or as interactive as I'd expected.
The display performed as if it wanted to be both a video infomercial AND an interactive website at the same time. Web-like navigation conventions, such as a back arrow and navigation bars did not always activate when touched. This might have been related to a screen calibration problem.
There were many on-screen items that were puzzling. There was a rotating map of a large view of the Ballantyne Village area that didn't seem to provide information when touched. There was another image of the main building, with small billboards displayed that looked like they were navigation tools, but did nothing when clicked. Some menu items activated when clicked, but the sub-menus that displayed did not link to anything. I never found out about the sales!
I gave up:
I wonder if the same people behind the touch-screen application at Ballantyne Village were also responsible for the user-unfriendly interactive touch-screen map I experienced at the Cleveland Clinic:
User Unfriendly Information Kiosk Map
I'm still looking for user-friendly, useful examples of large touch-screen applications in public spaces, so if you know of any, please leave a comment and a link!
In my opinion, more work needs to be done to ensure that touch-screen interaction in public spaces is truly user-friendly. For more about interaction and usability, read my post, Reflections on Interaction: Update.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Ubiquitous interactive computing comes to the corner bank?!
Here is another way that innovative technologies are supporting "human-world" interaction. My last post addressed the topic wayfinding and gas pumps with internet-linked touchscreens... if you decide to forgo the ATM and wander inside your corner bank, you'll be amazed at the changes
According to a post from the Bank Channel, Umpqua bank is using technology to promote better customer -(or user) experience:
"Umpqua has collaborated with technology companies including Cisco, Intel, Lenovo, Microsoft, NCR and Planar to develop and integrate technology that the bank says will enhance customer experience and store operations. In many cases, it is the first time these technologies have been implemented in a consumer setting.
Features of the new branch include:
- Product wall: A 40-foot, interactive plasma wall that features touch screen technology, podcasts and community search functionality.
- Community wall: This interactive display wall serves as the store's official community center. It provides information on volunteer opportunities and community events, supports fundraising for community organizations and includes a survey option for users to tell Umpqua which topics they would like to learn more about.
- LocalSpace: Umpqua's own social networking site that is designed to connect and assist local businesses in a virtual setting.
- Computer café: Features tables embedded with state-of-the-art Lenovo laptops for easy-access online banking or Web access.
- Ask an expert: Connects customers face-to-face with experts on a wide range of financial topics at any time.
- Interactive and in-store shopping: Customers can browse merchandise from local merchants as well as Umpqua's Discover Local Music CDs, books and other products."
Something like this would be great asset at the mall, or for relatives and friends visiting loved ones during hospital stays.....
