Our Goal...

... is to benefit the Canadian economy by improving the efficiency of the Nation's largest and most influential industry (the Architectural, Engineering and Construction Industry) by facilitating group decision-making with the use of modern technology.

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Overview

The Interactive Collaboration Lab (or ICL) is an unprecedented multimedia-rich environment designed to facilitate decision-making and collaboration among users through the use of sophisticated technology. The lab, located in Head Hall at the Fredericton campus of the University of New Brunswick, provides an interactive meeting room for project planning, management and execution. This state of the art facility is complete with two 72” wall-mounted touch-screen SMART boards and one 60” mobile SMART board, all surrounding a 10-seat boardroom table in an air-conditioned facility.

The lab is internet-ready with both wired and wireless capabilities therefore simplifying communication between computers, SMART boards and even your very own laptop. Remote Desktop allows you to connect to your own home or office computer remotely so you can share information on one of the SMART boards for everyone to see.

The 3 Boards in the ICL are connected to a private server on the UNB network and used for file storage for patrons of the lab. Upon rental of the lab, your organization will be set up with your own private and secure folder where you can store all the files you need so that next time you use the facility, you can continue on where you left off. You
will also have access to these files from outside the ICL through a secure web-based document management system.

The software applications available are geared towards, but not limited to, the Architectural, Engineering and Construction (AEC) Industry; however, this lab can be used for virtually any type of group for collaborative decision-making. The facility is ideal for clients, engineers, architects and any other participating entity to collaborate ideas using simultaneous displays of software such as 2D/3D/4D Computer Aided Drafting, Scheduling and Estimating software as well as numerous other graphical tools.

The ICL was designed to serve as a collaborative environment that facilitates decision-making and stimulate
cooperative efforts among the most diverse array of participants. The applications of the technology presented in this lab are endless. When using the ICL, finding a way to improve efficiency within your organization is right at your fingertips.

Preliminary Software

The ICL presently offers many of the essential software applications used most commonly within the AEC industry today along with the latest in visualization technology to provide an innovative and collaborative way to interact with them. Additional software programs may eventually be added depending on how users intend to apply the technology to meet their individual requirements. The software applications available in the lab are as follows:

• AutoCAD Building Systems/Architectural Desktop 2006 - 2D/3D CAD
• Primavera Project Planner - Enterprise (P3e) - Scheduling
• Microsoft Project - Scheduling
• Timberline - Estimating
• CommonPoint Project 4D - 4D CAD (Scheduling/CAD Integrator)
• Sketch-Up (w/ ArcGIS Plugin) - 3D Sketching Software
• ArcGIS 9.1 - Geographic Information System
• Google Earth - Satellite Imaging Software
• Bridgit - Screen-Sharing / Conferencing Application
• SMART Ideas - Mindmap / Brainstorming Application

SMART Board Technology

SMART technology uses rear-projected screens that project a computer’s display onto a large screen. Built into the screen’s corners are digital cameras that triangulate where you are pointing on the screen when you break the plane with your finger or one of the special pens provided. This is the basis behind the sophisticated touch-screen technology that makes these boards interactive. You can write on the board with digital ink over any application and erase it as easy as using a chalkboard eraser. When you pick up a pen or the eraser, the pen tray automatically detects which tool you’ve selected.

How can the ICL help your organization?

Helps Communicate Information

The ICL can help your organization by communicating information in multiple formats simultaneously to reduce misunderstanding and misinterpretation among a group of participants. This information can easily be interacted with by use of the Board’s touch-screen technology. Wireless keyboards and slates allow for users to stay at their seats while interacting with the boards.

Allows Remote Collaboration

Using the conferencing software in the ICL, you can communicate with employees in different offices as easy as if you were both in the same room. One major application of this software in combination with the SMART boards is that a CAD technician can bring up a drawing on their computer, conference with an engineer in another city, share their desktop display via the connection and the engineer can use the SMART pens to mark-up the drawing in real-time , capturing the markups electronically.

Ability to Capture and Save Notes

The software package that is included with the SMART boards allows users to capture notes in digital ink which can then be saved and emailed to the group instantly for later reference. It also allows users to record everything that is displayed on the board so it can be distributed electronically and reviewed at a later time.

Integrated Technology and Text Recognition

This technology has been completely integrated with Microsoft Office applications such as PowerPoint, Word and Excel. Text recognition is just one of the many features that this software provides. It also has features built into AutoCAD so that drawings can be easily marked-up. These markups can be saved directly into the drawing and appear as their own layer which can be turned on or off at any time!

Group Feedback

These boards can be used to capture notes and track decisions. Group feedback can be incorporated immediately saving valuable time while reducing the occurrence of misunderstanding or miscommunication as changes are made on-the-fly in full view of all stakeholders present.

Partners

• UNB M. Patrick Gillin Chair in Construction Engineering and Management
• The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI)
• National Research Council - IIT e-Business
• The New Brunswick Innovation Foundation
• NB Department of Supply and Services
• FocalTRACK Inc.
• 3D Datacomm
• IBM Canada
• 3D Designs

ICL Remote Tools

The following applications are useful for optimal participation if not present in the ICL:

• Bridge-It (SMART Conferencing)
• TightVNC
• SMART Notebook

* For more information or for rental inquiries, Contact CTCA

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