**4. Applications in education and research**

Within the larger context described in the sections before, Hyperbody has been developing in the last decade Internet-supported applications for academic education and research by employing interactive 3D game technology: As an Internet-based, multi-user game environment, Protospace enables real-time collaborative architectural and urban design and has been tested in graduate education and research including the Internet-based postgraduate program, E-Archidoct, that was offered in collaboration with 14 European universities 2008-10.

Fig. 2. Rapid seamless CAD-CAM prototyping and CNC fabrication implemented with students in Protospace.

Protospace is, basically, a compound of software and hardware applications for virtual academic education and research equipped with multi-channel immersive audio, multiscreen projection, ubiquitous sensing, wireless input-output devices and (Computer Numerically Controlled) CNC facilities (incorporating a laser cutter and a large mill). It facilitates Internet-supported collaborative design and development of interactive architectural components, supports seamless (Computer-Aided Design and Manufacturing) CAD-CAM workflows, as well as enables implementation of non-standard, complex geometries (Fig. 2) into architecture.

Protospace incorporates, therefore, virtual drafting and modeling as well as physical prototyping tools with shared database capabilities so that changes made by design team members are visible to all other team members, thus allowing for design, evaluation, and dialogue between team members to take place concurrently in real-time. Team members are physically and/or virtually participating in a seamless process of design, prototyping, and review establishing a feedback loop between conceptualization and production.

#### **4.1 Software and hardware prototypes**

In addition to CNC machines allowing for CAD-CAM production of 1:1 or scaled architectural prototypes, Protospace incorporates Virtual Reality (VR) hardware and software (Fig. 3) devices enabling implementation of specific tasks such as geometrical and behavioral manipulation.

Within the larger context described in the sections before, Hyperbody has been developing in the last decade Internet-supported applications for academic education and research by employing interactive 3D game technology: As an Internet-based, multi-user game environment, Protospace enables real-time collaborative architectural and urban design and has been tested in graduate education and research including the Internet-based postgraduate program, E-Archidoct, that was offered in collaboration with 14 European

Fig. 2. Rapid seamless CAD-CAM prototyping and CNC fabrication implemented with

Protospace is, basically, a compound of software and hardware applications for virtual academic education and research equipped with multi-channel immersive audio, multiscreen projection, ubiquitous sensing, wireless input-output devices and (Computer Numerically Controlled) CNC facilities (incorporating a laser cutter and a large mill). It facilitates Internet-supported collaborative design and development of interactive architectural components, supports seamless (Computer-Aided Design and Manufacturing) CAD-CAM workflows, as well as enables implementation of non-standard, complex

Protospace incorporates, therefore, virtual drafting and modeling as well as physical prototyping tools with shared database capabilities so that changes made by design team members are visible to all other team members, thus allowing for design, evaluation, and dialogue between team members to take place concurrently in real-time. Team members are physically and/or virtually participating in a seamless process of design, prototyping, and

In addition to CNC machines allowing for CAD-CAM production of 1:1 or scaled architectural prototypes, Protospace incorporates Virtual Reality (VR) hardware and software (Fig. 3) devices enabling implementation of specific tasks such as geometrical and

review establishing a feedback loop between conceptualization and production.

**4. Applications in education and research** 

universities 2008-10.

students in Protospace.

geometries (Fig. 2) into architecture.

**4.1 Software and hardware prototypes** 

behavioral manipulation.

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