research-article

A toolkit for peer-to-peer distributed user interfaces: concepts, implementation, and applications

Authors:

Jérémie Melchior,

Donatien Grolaux,

Jean Vanderdonckt,

Peter Van RoyAuthors Info & Claims

EICS '09: Proceedings of the 1st ACM SIGCHI symposium on Engineering interactive computing systems

Pages 69 - 78

https://doi.org/10.1145/1570433.1570449

Published: 15 July 2009 Publication History

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Abstract

In this paper we present a software toolkit for deploying peer-to-peer distributed graphical user interfaces across four dimensions: multiple displays, multiple platforms, multiple operating systems, and multiple users, either independently or concurrently. This toolkit is based on the concept of multi-purpose proxy connected to one or many rendering engines in order to render a graphical user interface in part or whole for any user, any operating system (Linux, Mac OS X and Windows XP or higher), any computing platform (ranging from a pocket PC to a wall screen), and/or any display (ranging from private to public displays). This toolkit is a genuine peer-to-peer solution in that no computing platform is used for a server or for a client: any user interface can be distributed across users, systems, and platforms independently of their location, system constraints, and platform constraints. After defining the toolkit concepts, its implementation is described, motivated, and exemplified on two non-form based user interfaces: a distributed office automation and a distributed interactive game.

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Grigoriu ABuraga S(2024)Adapting Web Applications for AR/VR using Distributed User Interfaces and Meta-UIsProcedia Computer Science10.1016/j.procs.2024.09.495246(762-771)Online publication date: 2024
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2024.09.495
Bateman SGutwin CMansoor HNacenta Mvan der Kamp MBaliesnyi MGagnon KRollheiser J(2023)WAMS: A Flexible API for Visual Workspaces Across Multiple SurfacesProceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction10.1145/35932367:EICS(1-40)Online publication date: 19-Jun-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3593236
Čopič Pucihar KAttygalle NKljun MSandor CLeiva L(2022)Solids on SoliProceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction10.1145/35322126:EICS(1-19)Online publication date: 17-Jun-2022
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3532212
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A toolkit for peer-to-peer distributed user interfaces: concepts, implementation, and applications

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Reviews

Reviewer: Bayard Kohlhepp

A significant barrier to progress in the evolution of pervasive and ubiquitous computing is the creation of a satisfactory user interface. As we encounter computing devices embedded in our environment, we need the ability to interact with them and to continue that interaction even when we're no longer in their physical presence. If these interactions, such as conversations and sessions, are going to follow us, they need the ability to migrate across software and hardware platforms, as well as the ability to be rendered on whatever computing device is currently at hand. Melchior et al. present a toolkit that contributes to this goal. Distributed applications are written using the authors' Ext/Tk library, an extension of the popular Tcl/Tk library. This presentation layer rides on the Mozart-Oz distribution layer, which, in turn, uses the transmission control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP) networking protocol. The toolkit implements widgets as distributable entities, allowing a user interface (UI) to be distributed whole or in part. In this paper, Melchior et al. first summarize existing work on distributed user interfaces (DUIs), and then argue the advantages of their own solution. Two case studies-an office application and a drawing game-illustrate how a UI might be divided and distributed. A high-level discussion of their architecture, components, and distribution protocol makes up the bulk of the paper. Also, screen shots are included that show the DUI at work on real devices. This paper is a very readable presentation of an important milestone. Online Computing Reviews Service

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Published In

EICS '09: Proceedings of the 1st ACM SIGCHI symposium on Engineering interactive computing systems

July 2009

348 pages

ISBN:9781605586007

DOI:10.1145/1570433

General Chair:
T.C. Nicholas Graham
Queen's University, Canada
,
Program Chairs:
Gaëlle Calvary
University of Grenoble, France
,
Philip Gray
University of Glasgow, United Kingdom

Permission to make digital or hard copies of all or part of this work for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage and that copies bear this notice and the full citation on the first page. Copyrights for components of this work owned by others than ACM must be honored. Abstracting with credit is permitted. To copy otherwise, or republish, to post on servers or to redistribute to lists, requires prior specific permission and/or a fee. Request permissions from [email protected]

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Association for Computing Machinery

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Published: 15 July 2009

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EICS'09

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EICS'09: Engineering Interactive Computing Systems

July 15 - 17, 2009

PA, Pittsburgh, USA

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Overall Acceptance Rate 73 of 299 submissions, 24%

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Bateman SGutwin CMansoor HNacenta Mvan der Kamp MBaliesnyi MGagnon KRollheiser J(2023)WAMS: A Flexible API for Visual Workspaces Across Multiple SurfacesProceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction10.1145/35932367:EICS(1-40)Online publication date: 19-Jun-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3593236
Čopič Pucihar KAttygalle NKljun MSandor CLeiva L(2022)Solids on SoliProceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction10.1145/35322126:EICS(1-19)Online publication date: 17-Jun-2022
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Sluÿters AOusmer MRoselli PVanderdonckt J(2022)QuantumLeap, a Framework for Engineering Gestural User Interfaces based on the Leap Motion ControllerProceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction10.1145/35322116:EICS(1-47)Online publication date: 17-Jun-2022
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Ortegat GGrolaux DRiviere EVanderdonckt J(2022)Engineering the Transition of Interactive Collaborative Software from Cloud Computing to Edge ComputingProceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction10.1145/35322106:EICS(1-31)Online publication date: 17-Jun-2022
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Li ZAnnett MHinckley KWigdor D(2019)SMACProceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction10.1145/33009613:EICS(1-47)Online publication date: 13-Jun-2019
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Brudy FHolz CRädle RWu CHouben SKlokmose CMarquardt NBrewster SFitzpatrick GCox AKostakos V(2019)Cross-Device TaxonomyProceedings of the 2019 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems10.1145/3290605.3300792(1-28)Online publication date: 2-May-2019
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Paternò F(2019)Concepts and design space for a better understanding of multi-device user interfacesUniversal Access in the Information Society10.1007/s10209-019-00650-5Online publication date: 4-Apr-2019
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Gallidabino APautasso C(2019)Multi-device Adaptation with Liquid Media QueriesWeb Engineering10.1007/978-3-030-19274-7_33(474-489)Online publication date: 26-Apr-2019
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Park SGebhardt CRädle RFeit AVrzakova HDayama NYeo HKlokmose CQuigley AOulasvirta AHilliges OMandryk RHancock MPerry MCox A(2018)AdaMProceedings of the 2018 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems10.1145/3173574.3173758(1-14)Online publication date: 21-Apr-2018
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