Abstract

This thesis presents the prototype of a collaborative wearable computer system whose main focus is on remote pointing. Remote pointing enables a remote user to point at objects in the physical environment of another user who is equipped with a wearable computer. The central question for our research is how effective and efficient remote pointing is for collaboration and  communication in a wearable context. After discussing the design and implementation of the system, we present the results of a usability study evaluating the utility of remote pointing. We pay special attention to its influence on the communication between two workers collaborating on a simple task. We show that users readily accept remote pointing as a tool and utilize it extensively. Since it provides a common point of focus, their communication becomes more efficient.