Interfaces for distributed remote user controlled manufacturing as collaborative environment

Abstract

Recent advances in information and communication technologies that support the concept of collaborative networks have allowed manufacturing enterprises to use remotely controlled decentralized manufacturing processes. This survey is based on the experiment that involved 34 small collaborative groups at Serbia, that have used the interface for remote collaborative control of manufacturing systems to control of CNC machine located in Portugal. The experiments on collaborative environment are done using two types of “client” user interface, “Wall” and “Window”. Measured characteristics included: collaborative effort, involvement, awareness, representational fidelity features and co-presence. Results show that “Wall” interface has higher values of index of interdependence of collaborative virtual environment characteristics. Conclusion is that characteristics of collaborative environment are less interdependent when “Window” is used opposite to the “Wall” interface. Future research ideas are to test similar platforms with more users and to study aspects such as group leader choice and role, possible conflicts etc.