Wish You Were Here...

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Wish You Were Here...
Stefan Marti M.I.T. Media Lab April 12th 2000

• Live Impressions From Flight BA2172.

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• Motivation
• The passengers feel disconnected from the
  world, and the world feels disconnected from
  the passengers.
• Flight is a unique experience for
  passengers, full of expectations and
  memories, but poorly documented.

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• Basic Idea
• During the flight, connect the passengers
  to their friends and families, and vice
  versa.
• After the flight, help them to preserve
  this unique experience.

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• Realization
• Each flight has a unique and personalized Web
  page with
• Live personal video messages from the
  passengers.
• Interesting real-time information about the
  flight.

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• Function of the Web page
• Before and during flight Reflects passenger
  impressions, flight status.
• After flight Serves as a travel log, photo
  and video album, like a souvenier.

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• Web page demo

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• Technology
• Video booths outside video cameras
  portable cameras for inside use (preferably
  wireless).
• Network downlink to earth.
• External information sources like radar,
  etc.
• Web scripts that automatically integrate
  this information.

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• Outside video equipment

• Commercial products, e.g., from Aerial View
  Systems.
• Supersmall wireless CMOS cameras with
  analog transmission (2.4 GHz).
• Similar cameras, but digital transmission
  with Bluetooth.

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• Inside video equipment

• Video booths, similar to Sticker or Photo
  booths.
• Cameras built into seats, similar to Web
  cams.
• Tiny wireless hand held cameras, very
  cheap, very light (14 grams without
  batteries).

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• Downlink to Earth
• Most likely via satellites.

• INMARSAT slow, 64K bit/sec. Already
  available
• TELEDESIC much faster, up to 64M bit/sec.
  Not available yet
• Other options

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• On Earth

Web script that automatically integrates all
information, from airplane and from external
sites, into a unique, alive Web page. Its URL
will be printed on the tickets, and also linked
from the BA Web site.