Preserving non-verbal features of face-to-face communication for remote collaboration

Abstract

Distributed working groups rely on collaboration systems that promote working on a project cooperatively over a distance. However, conventional systems for remote cooperative work do not transport important non-verbal cues of face-to-face communication like eye-contact or gaze awareness that would be available in co-located collaboration. Additionally, reference material and annotation tools should be readily accessible for all users. The screen layout should moreover create awareness for the transmitted video of remote participants and reference material alike and allow users to easily follow both at the same time. This paper describes how the presented system Face 2Face meets these requirements and thereby supports the collaborative design process. Furthermore, the performance of the system is evaluated in order to validate its practical applicability. © 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.