Roomware®

By roomware® we mean computer-augmented room elements like doors, walls, furniture (e.g. tables and chairs) with integrated information and communication technology. This is part of our approach that the "world around us" is the interface to information and for the cooperation of people. It requires an integrated design of real and virtual worlds augmenting reality. In this approach, the computer as a device disappears and is almost "invisible" but the functionality is ubiquitously available (ubiquitous computing). Thus, the roomware approach moves beyond the limits of standard desktop environments.

During 1997-1998, we developed the first versions of roomware components (DynaWall®, CommChair®,ConnecTable®, InteracTable®) at the Integrated Publication and Information Systems Institute (GMD-IPSI, now Fraunhofer IPSI). This was done in the research division "AMBIENTE - Workspaces of the Future" initially as part of the i-LAND project. We continued this work in the research and development consortium "Future Office Dynamics" (FOD) GMD-IPSI developed, together with the office furniture company Wilkhahn and the design team WIEGE, the second generation of roomware. The first public presentation took place in the fall of 1999 and was shown in the context of the worldwide EXPO 2000 project "The future of work in the field between humankind, nature, technology and the market". Furthermore, it is presented since 2000 at the technology museum DASA in Dortmund.

The names of the roomware®-components are registered trade marks.

Contact:
Dr. Dr. Norbert Streitz ( )