Towards the Delivery of Spatial Multimedia Representations to Support Public Discourse
Michael J. Shiffer
Ph.D., Director, Computer Resource Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Urban Studies & Planning, 77 Massachusetts Ave., Room 9-514, Cambridge, MA 02139, Phone: (617) 253-0782. Fax: (617) 253-3625. E-Mail: mshiffer@mit.edu
This paper will explore the various methods that have been employed over the years to deliver spatial multimedia in urban planning contexts where some form of public discourse is important. Spatial multimedia (as discussed in this context) capitalizes on the integration of video, sound, text, and distributed communication. This is accomplished for three functional purposes: First, to enhance a collective vision of an area through virtual navigation mechanisms. Second, to enhance the collective memory of a place or issue through electronic spatial annotation tools. Third, to enhance collective understanding of abstract concepts (such as environmental impacts of mass transit vehicles) through the employment of representational aids. The methods of delivering this technology to be discussed include individual public information kiosks, WWW-based Internet delivery, and support of real-time meetings with multimedia representational aids and video conferencing. The intention is to gain a better understanding of the benefits and (perhaps more importantly) the pitfalls of such means of communication. The paper will highlight both experimental and sustained implementations of these technologies in academic and municipal contexts through a combination live demonstration and video taped archives. More specifically, perspective will be derived by drawing upon over ten years of highlights that illustrate how these tools have migrated from an academic context of innovation to a professional climate of implementation with an eye towards gaining a greater understanding of the future impacts of these representations.
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