**3. Methodologies and processes**

Late 1990s, Internet-based academic education and research were focusing on education methodologies and applied technologies for educators, students and researchers, who are separated by time and distance, or both (Daniel, 1998; Loutchko et al. 2002). In this context, the requirement for synchronous interaction for participants, who are virtually present at the same time while they are physically remotely located would be implemented via timely synchronous videoconferencing and live streaming, telephone, and web-based VoIP. In addition, participants would access educational and research materials on their own schedule, as well as communicate by means of asynchronous information exchange such as E-mail correspondence, message exchange (forums), audio-video recording and replay.

of Things consists of uniquely identifiable (tagged) objects (Things) and their virtual representations inventoried and connected in an Internet-like structure (Ashton, 1999;

Fig. 1. Protospace: An Internet-based multi-user physical and virtual environment for

Envisioning Ambient Intelligence (AmI) as a physical environment that incorporates digital devices in order to support people in carrying out daily activities by using information and intelligence that is contained within the network connecting these devices (Zelkha et al., 1998), Protospace (http://www.hyperbody.nl/protospace) developed at Hyperbody (Fig. 1) can be seen as an embedded, networked hardware- and software system that is exhibiting characteristics of Ambient Intelligence. This implies that interactive, context aware (sensor-actuator) sub-systems are embedded into the spatial environment in such a way that they are context and user aware by collecting and mapping data with respect to users' movement and behaviour in relation to physical space, they are, when needed, tailored to individual needs, and furthermore, they are adaptive, responding to user and environmental changes, even anticipatory, as for instance, during interactive lectures and workshops described in following sections. Considering that information processing has been, meanwhile, increasingly integrated into physical spaces, everyday objects, human activities (Weiser, 1988) and ubiquitous computing (ubicomp) has become prevalent in everyday life, the following sections aim to critically asses what they offer architectural academic education and research, and thus

Late 1990s, Internet-based academic education and research were focusing on education methodologies and applied technologies for educators, students and researchers, who are separated by time and distance, or both (Daniel, 1998; Loutchko et al. 2002). In this context, the requirement for synchronous interaction for participants, who are virtually present at the same time while they are physically remotely located would be implemented via timely synchronous videoconferencing and live streaming, telephone, and web-based VoIP. In addition, participants would access educational and research materials on their own schedule, as well as communicate by means of asynchronous information exchange such as E-mail correspondence, message exchange (forums), audio-video recording and replay.

academic research and education developed by Hyperbody.

reveal what challenges remain in their development and application.

**3. Methodologies and processes** 

Magrassi, et al. 2001).

Other more sophisticated methods would include online three-dimensional (3D) virtual worlds providing synchronous and asynchronous interaction as well as collaboration.

Such systems would, obviously, require high-tech hardware and software equipment and would offer the possibility to flexibly accommodate time and space constraints of users, while reducing the demand on institutional infrastructure such as buildings. Educators, students and researchers attending virtual sessions would exchange and acquire knowledge asynchronously by reading documents from the database or studying videos, for instance, and synchronously by discussing problems, reviewing case studies, or actively participating in workshops. Communication in the synchronous virtual study room is, therefore, conceived as a collaborative study and research experience, where participants are interacting real-time with peers through web-conferencing and 3D gaming.

3D gaming environments inspired, in the last decade, researchers from different disciplines to develop computer-supported collaborative environments such as Protospace in which problem-based studying and researching is implemented. This enables physically and virtually present students and researchers to investigate and solve problems by working in groups, wherein participants identify what they know, what they need to know, and learn how to bridge the gap between the two by searching and accessing information from worldwide available databases that may lead to finding solutions.

In such a context, the role of the instructor, educator, or team leader is that of facilitating the process by suggesting appropriate references, and instigating critical discussions, while open-ended, ill-defined problems, addressed in collaborative group work are driving such a process (Armstrong, 1991). By exploring various strategies in order to understand the nature of the to-be-solved problem, by investigating the constraints and options to its resolution, as well as by acknowledging eventual different viewpoints, participants learn to negotiate between competing, even contradicting resolutions. These approaches implemented in Internet-supported multi-user, collaborative, game-like environments such as Protospace are well suited for addressing architectural and urban planning problems in education and research.

Such approaches are, however, not anymore confined to the classical concepts of the Internet-based education such as distance learning; instead they started to permeate the academic everyday life (Bier, 2011). Internet-based interaction is not anymore employed for distance learning only but it is integrated in the daily interaction, information and knowledge exchange between students, educators and researchers. While learning environments are increasingly accessed in various contexts and situations, ubiquitous increasingly replaces distance learning (Bomsdorf, 2005).

If ubiquitous learning (u-Learning) represents a relevant advancement in the development of distance learning, its obvious potential results from the enhanced possibilities of accessing content and computer-supported collaborative environments at any time and place. Furthermore, u-Learning enables seamless combination of virtual environments and physical spaces and allows embedding individual learning activities in everyday life so that learning activities are freed from schedule and spatial constraints, becoming pervasive and ongoing, prevalent within a large, diverse community consisting of students, educators, social communities, researchers, etc.

Internet-Supported Multi-User Virtual and Physical

**4.1.1 CAD-CAM processes** 

from virtual models.

applications were as well integrated.

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Fig. 3. Protospace: Wireless devices with varying characteristics are available as input devices for implementing specific tasks such as geometrical and behavioral manipulation.

Internet-supported collaborative processes such as CAD-CAM design and fabrication workflows are implemented in Protospace by means of commercial and non-commercial software applications that in part are developed from scratch at Hyperbody. For architectural and urban design Hyperbody employs parametric software such as Virtools, Max MSP, Rhino-Grasshopper and Generative Components. These CAD applications are coupled with CAM facilities in order to allow seamless production of physical prototypes

With respect to their use in education, in case of E-Archidoct, for instance, in addition to the Internet-based individual and collaborative exchange between students and teachers facilitated by the open-source Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment (Moodle) which was incorporated into the E-Archidoct website, Protospace software

Students were, basically, introduced to parametric software such as Virtools, Grasshopper and Generative Components employed in architectural and urban design projects. Liu's
