Enabling Sharable Infrastructure for the Human/Computer Interface

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project addresses the challenge of seamless interoperability among computer systems and user interface components such as displays and keyboards. Today these components are tightly coupled with the computer, which restricts the utility of both-especially in mobile computing systems, where users invariably have to choose between usable displays and reasonable portability. A familiar manifestation of the opportunity is the "conference display swap" problem. The over-all goal of the project is to develop and specify robust, efficient and secure interfaces that enable computers to dynamically discover, connect to and use displays over moderate-bandwidth network connections. The Phase I investigation will focus on efficient encoding techniques for an interoperable virtual display interface that can be run over existing wireless network technologies. The interface will make it possible for multiple computers to share a projection display serially via software. In the longer term, it frees mobile computing systems to evolve independently of display technology, and leads to a model in which user interface devices are considered public infrastructure. This research has commercial application in a number of industries where seamless display sharing is routinely required but is not yet supported, such as conference management, higher education, and medicine.