New era for HiTech-Libraries

Hybrary - The Library of the future:" Libraries are the perfect environment for New Media applications, the focus area of the reseach at the ISNM. In several projects we analyze special aspects of libraries and develop research prototypes in co-operation with leading library equipment providers. The motivation is to break with traditional views on the role of the library and to develop new methods and interfaces, allowing an intuitive access to digital content in the physical space. The following projects have been realized with the help of the students enrolled at the ISNM study program Master of Science in Digital Media." -McLuhan Documentation Center

NEVA - Virtual Librarian Avatar:

" NEVA is a virtual librarian system based on a graphical character, called Avatar. The motivation is not to replace the librarian but to enhance the library database with a personalized, human-like intelligent virtual agent serving the user's needs for both detailed and complete database knowledge and social interaction.... more

Tangible Archive

"The Tangible Archive has been developed within the Digital Library course in Summer 2004. Visitors can browse through the collection of past and current ISNM projects by picking physical objects, equipped with electronic (RFID) labels and placing them onto the "smart desk". Each object is designed as a metaphor for the respective project and triggers the project web page documentation."

ALADIN

"ALADIN is a software platform for mobile devices in a Ubiquitous Computing environment. The system is based on web services on PDAs or laptops and uses different methods for the query of locations (Wireless LAN, Bluetooth, Infrared), users (Fingerprint Scanner) and objects (RFID). Equipped with a streaming server, the ALADIN infrastructure allows for rich applications controlled and triggered by a smart environment."

Interactive Library Desk

"The Interactive Library Desk offers a complete new library interface based on the metaphor of a desk-top system. The active display is projected on the surface of the table using a beamer on the ceiling. The object contains an RFID label which can be detected by the RFID reader devices mounted below the table. The table supports a Content-Management-System based on XML as well as a FLASH-based interface to the table hardware. New content can be easily created and inserted into the system using most common media types for graphics, audio and video. We are constantly updating the list of services running on the table. The table design is based on the interactive table which was designed for the Museum of Castle Eutin."

Smart Browsing at the shelf

"This project presents a novel user interface for library services on mobile devices. It supports library users with digital information for physical media items directly at the shelf, therefore enhancing the browsing process in physical media collections using related virtual information. PDAs, equipped with RFID or Barcode readers, allow for scanning media items and augmenting physical media items with additional information. "

" Mobile learning is the next big trend in learning and technology. Mobiles are more common than PCs (2 billion+ compared with 750 million). Developing countries are able to jump the hardwiring requirements of many developed countries, moving straight to wireless connectivity. Unfortunately, for all the hype of mobile learning, we aren't doing it well. In fact, the conversation in this space is still minimal. Mostly we have people (like me) saying things like "it's the next big thing". Here are a few articles addressing (and proclaiming) our wireless future:

Future of the phone

Wireless World

Carnival of the Mobilists

mlearning tsunami : from : elearnspace

Library Hi Tech(journal)