1. TCHO Chocolate Factory Project
Vision
Apply FXPAL collaboration technologies in a real-world factory setting. Innovate in real/virtual collaborations, monitoring, and control technologies based on real users and real-world problems in manufacturing industries.

2. TCHO Chocolate Factory
Unique, rich real-world opportunity for FXPAL research
Located on Pier 17, SF; factory opened Fall 2008
Positioned as high-tech chocolate: accuracy in recipe invention and replication
One of only a few chocolate factories in US
Management is tech-savvy and willing to experiment

3. Industrial Collaboration Environments
Create 3D spaces with collaborative applications for specific tasks
Six types of users, with subsets of each:
Managers (CEO, operations manager need different info)
Operators (technical, mechanical)
Tour guides (real-life, VR)
B2B clients (technically knowledgeable)
Suppliers and sources (cacao farmers and producers)
Consumer customers (real-life, Web, VR)

4. Mapping out collaboration areas
A functional simulation, visualization, and collaboration environment:
a set of interlinked, real-time 3D and 2D layers of information about TCHO and its processes, with collaborative/social network functionality as well for multiple users. We can switch between layers of views or mini-apps designed for specific purposes.
Collaborative applications for:
- remote factory observation
- process/workflow monitoring and analysis
- virtual inspections
- b2b customer visits (augmented reality)
- education and training of employees
- visitor tours
- inventory tracking
First instances: a 3D virtual factory floor in a multi-user virtual world, and an iPhone/VR Lab application

5. Situated collaboration
Specific, situated tasks or processes with spatial, temporal, and/or environmental components
Example: TCHO Development Lab
- iPhone/VR mashup application for remote collaboration
- Situation: laboratory for developing recipes
for each new type of cacao bean, per yearly harvest
- Personnel: 2 experts, 2 intermediate, 3 novice
- Tasks (example): sort, humidity, pick over, pre-roast, roast 1, pre-roast 2, roast 2, grind, temperature…record every step
- Time: from 14 – 26 hours each; often 5 -6 simultaneous runs with different timing. Extended time period means at least two people involved, usually more.
- Communication, accuracy and replicability are crucial.

6. Detailed models, dynamic control
Overall factory floor tour
Detailed tour of particular
machines or processes
via interlinked Forums
with embedded HD video
For employee training,
client tours, B2B demos
Animation possible via
Python scripting

7. Data visualization
Data layers will show up in a realtime, multi-user 3D world (or worlds). These visualization layers each focus on different data, different functions and different users. Because the world is multi-user, people can talk with each other; local and remote groups or communities can develop, or mirror those in the real world.
Each layer uses appropriate representation for its purpose: multi-camera video streams, or representational "mirror world" graphics, or more abstract data visualizations representing the current or past state of the sensor fusion network in/around the TCHO factory and associated processes.
Mashups between the data representations in different layers can call out "hot spots" or hitches in production, or suggest a need for maintenance, or be used to train new employees. As is common with mashups, it's likely that some useful qualities will be emergent.

8. More information…?
A project of the MIR (Mixed and immersive Realities) group at FXPAL
We need a summer intern for 2009…
Contact Maribeth Back: