Jane Austen 'themed' Talking Walls application

This is an idea we have had since before Christmas, and at long last have found some free time to work on it. The demo has taken barely a week to produce from initial research through to the final editing of all the different elements. It always takes longer than you think it is going to, this time mostly due to research and putting some finer details in to make it that much easier to watch.

The general concept is to create a Famous People 'themed' Talking Walls series, covering the homes in which they lived, their family, friends and their work. Jane Austen is planned to be the first of these. The series could include famous figures such as William Shakespeare, Henry VIII, The Bronte Sisters and Charles Dickens, building a rich architectural, heritage and digital storytelling resource.


We hope to receive funding from interested parties to develop this project into a full Talking Walls application, exploring the buildings over their lifetime, pulling in the work they created there and their stories whilst living there.

The raw Revit file before taking into 3DS Max.

The application (as in all Talking Walls applications) would be available for iPhones, smartphones, handhelds and kiosks, accessed via The Talking Wall web server so that you would be able to visit any one of the homes, viewing the real space and exploring the virtual with your phone or provided handheld, continuing over the web once back in your own home / country.



The demo above has been greatly reduced in quality to fit within the guidelines for uploading video on this blog, nonetheless it still gives a good idea of Steventon Rectory, how it was positioned and its closeness to the church. This has been modelled based on several hours worth of research over the web. A better quality version can be seen on our website www.thetalkingwalls.co.uk. The images it is mostly based on are shown below:



More images will be placed on The Talking Walls website soon, with information gleaned albeit mostly on the rectory. If you have any information that may help with this project, please contact me, I would be grateful for any help clarifying the structure of the building. Thankyou

How about this new and very useable interface?

I have just come across this very user friendly interface for smartphones / pda's via NexTechNews' website, searching in fact for the generic screen size for mobile / handheld devices. Apparently not yet ready for PocketPc (my phone's system) but running really well on Windows Mobile 5 and 6.

The company is PointUI and they are offering free downloads of the software. I really think it makes navigating through content much simpler as those who have an iPhone may also agree.



Then of course, looking at the same site - NexTechNews - there is the AT & T Microsoft Surface. Absolutely amazing - so many applications, including (typical woman here) recipes whilst cooking? The Talking Walls would be amazing using a Microsoft Surface - perhaps in kiosk mode. Excellent - I wonder what the cost will be?



The same but being used in a retail environment, T-Mobile, allowing the customer to discover more about the different phone models, tariffs and accessories, and choose the ones they want on their own. Very neat.



The gadget I am waiting for is the Garmin Nuvifone - a very cool gadget (if cool is still 'cool' of course!!) This is due out in the third quarter and has some very nice touches, including 'Panoramia'. This is where you are able to take a photo of where you are, send it via 'PeerPoint' to your partner / colleague. The GPS position is included allowing your colleague to easily find you. You can continue your conversation whilst getting there, dock the device and it changes to the GPS Navigation, still allowing you to talk, hands free. Sounds very good, I hope it matches up to our expectations and roll on 3rd quarter!



I have just treated myself though, to a new gadget - an EliteGroup UMPC, a tablet PC running Windows XP. The interface on this is very Mac-like, but the system itself is full Windows XP. The 7" screen size makes it a reasonable size for carrying around, and absolutely ideal for writing / researching on those train journeys to London. It plays video, music, slideshows exactly the same as a PC, and has made my Archos AV700 redundant (now on Ebay!). The new gadget has WiFi and Bluetooth, so emails and web browsing will be more enjoyable than my current squinting on the smartphone. All in the name of research, of course!!

Happy Viewing!