The landscape of collective computing has witnessed notable developments and projects, each aimed at enhancing collaborative work facilitated by computation. These endeavors encompass diverse domains, emphasizing the potential of collaboration through digital interfaces and systems.

In the realm of video game consoles, it’s common to see multiple controllers and split screens. This has been a successful way of experiencing the digital world in a shared space, yet it is limited and constrained. The video game industry has innovated in the domain of multiplayer games with the advent of VR headsets. Companies like SandboxVR or ZeroLatencyVR offer full-body, low-latency, immersive virtual reality experiences for groups of people. In these experiences, a group enters a shared virtual environment, and each person is located within the same space both virtually and physically. Users interact with their full bodies, moving, jumping, or using an input device like a weapon. These experiences make use of a mirror world, where most of the stimuli for the participants come from the digital environment. A fully occluded headset, immersive and spatial sound, and a haptic vest are employed.

While this is an interesting use of technology that could harness a lot of future potential if applied beyond video gaming — such as in real-world simulation, problem-solving, or training — there is an inherent disconnect between the replacement of all our senses and the negation of physicality and presence within our spaces.

In the world of interactive installations and interactive spaces a few companies have pushed the boundaries of what is possible in creating digitally mediated experiences that are rooted in the physical environment. The studios Tellart and Rockwell Labs have been pioneers in creating digitally mediated experiences in physical spaces with multi-user interfaces.

The image above showcases an interactive experience that anticipates a future where learning becomes more experiential. Instead of traditional lectures, readings, or media consumption, individuals can engage in dynamic simulations. In this specific sand table, scholars learn about the rain cycle through an orography simulation in a topography constructed by sand inside a sandbox that can be intuitively moved and shaped. Digital information, represented by elevations, colors, and precipitation, is projected onto the sand. This interface facilitates simultaneous interaction by multiple users, encouraging wonder and dialogue.

Another innovative venture in the realm of interactive learning is exemplified by Reactables, a tangible interface developed for collaborative music creation. While differing in focus from the aforementioned sand table, Reactables similarly employs a multi-user interface to promote shared engagement. Users manipulate physical objects on a tabletop interface, triggering electronic sound generation and visual feedback. This hands-on approach not only enhances collaborative learning experiences but also aligns with the broader trend of leveraging dynamic simulations in physical spaces for educational and creative purposes.

Taken a step even further, the project DynamicLand, created by the designer and technologist Bret Victor, operates as a sort of operating system for physical space, utilizing overhead cameras and projectors as the input and output of the dynamic system. The computer vision component in DynamicLand identifies custom patterns associated with specific behaviors, which can be programmed by anyone within the space. This innovative approach empowers individuals within the space to contribute to the ongoing evolution of a dynamic system, blurring the lines between traditional computing and the physical world. The result is an immersive and participatory experience where the boundaries of digital and tangible interactions are redefined in a shared physical space.

These experiments are anticipatory of a future where work can be at room scale, mix analog and digital interfaces and truly make the best of the richness, tactile and intuitiveness of the physical world, with the potential of the digital world, from simulation, emerging patterns and behavior or making sense of big data.