SimPhony : voice group communication

Communication is vital in any workplace. However, as workers become less tied to their desktops and computers, the need to provide them with a flexible, easy to use, mobile method of communication becomes more necessary. This is particularly true in "non-traditional" workplaces like factories or hospitals. Cell phones, PDA's, and walkie-talkies provide the mobility and most are easy to use, however, they are not designed specifically with the workplace in mind and as a result, they do not adapt to a worker's changing environment. The Simphony communication system is a mobile, voice-controlled, voice communication system built on the iPaq (or any similar PDA) designed specifically for distributed workgroups. It uses the 802.11b network to transmit either synchronous or asynchronous voice data depending on the worker's environment or preference. The system allows for one-to-one or one-to-many communication with voice instant messages or synchronous audio. Simphony transitions between different communication styles as the communication becomes more frequent. When at least 3 voice instant messages are exchanged between two individuals or between an individual and a group, the system automatically transitions them into a synchronous audio chat. The Simphony interface looks much like an instant messaging client but is accessible by voice commands or by button presses on the PDA screen. Simphony allows users to define groups of individuals with whom they can communicate with simultaneously. When a group that a user is a member of becomes active, the user receives notification of the activity by hearing approximately 10 seconds of the audio from that group.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Architecture. Program In Media Arts and Sciences

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2004

Author dc:creator

• Lakshmipathy, Vidya

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Christopher Schmandt.

• Architecture. Program In Media Arts and Sciences

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/32342

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/32342