Integrating Web Space into the Work Environment

The problem of assimilating data in cyberspace continues to grow with the explosive growth of the Web. The Web has quickly evolved into a world-wide informational database which can, at best, be described as chaotic. Finding specific information has become increasingly difficult. Furthermore, as the Web becomes more visual and dynamic, much of the information is "hidden" from the tools currently used to index the Web. Once information is located, it is not easily integrated into the user's working environment. JEC proposes a solution to these problems which integrates several new and emerging WEB technologies, to provide an object-oriented approach to organizing, retrieving, and utilizing the vast amount of information available. In Phase I, the feasibility of developing an integrated suite of tools based on VRML, Java and metadata concepts will be investigated. In Phase II, prototype tools will be built using the concepts explored in Phase I. JEC's goal is to develop and market consumer tools for the Web which allow information providers and users to make efficient and effective use of electronic information in their daily work and leisure acitivities.