2nd Call for Papers
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Journal Virtual Reality, Springer UK
Special Issue "Collaborative Virtual Environments for Creative People"

Expression of interest: 16th December, 2005
Submission of full papers due: 24th February, 2006

Guest Editors: Leonie Schaefer, Steffi Beckhaus
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Detailed information is available on the Journal - Special Issue website
at: http://fit-bscw.fit.fraunhofer.de/pub/bscw.cgi/36582660


"Collaborative Virtual Environments for Creative People"

Creative processes often are collaborative in nature, with a group of
people reflecting on an overall theme, jointly contributing thoughts
interactively, and ultimately generating new ideas. Collaborative
virtual environments (CVEs) to support this process, thus, should
support the group, provide a creative atmosphere and comfortable
environment, and support the seamless expression and visualization of
ideas. This requires the environment to be inspiring, to enable a wide
range of design options, to allow multiple and appropriate types of
interaction, to provide for seamless interaction, advanced visualization
technologies and simplified sharing mechanisms. Example application
areas of such systems are the design and development of computer games,
art, product design, fashion, digital storytelling environments,
entertainment services, advertising, and architecture or urban planning.
The aim of this special issue is to provide an overview of innovative
and state-of-the-art research on Collaborative Environments in Virtual
Reality which support the creative process. Paper contributions should
discuss in general how to support creativity with collaborative tools
and virtual environments.

Research questions cover a wide range of topics such as how to
- allow participants with various professional backgrounds, working
languages, and ways of expressing their ideas to collaborate with each
other locally and over distance
- allow for quick and efficient selection of options to express and
visualize innovative ideas, going well beyond support for 2D drawings,
text and voice
- provide a non-technical, human-friendly and supportive work
environment with the focus on creativity
- support the design of multi-dimensional interactive applications
- keep an overview on different activity lines in both the design and
the use of multilevel, multi-dimensional applications

In addition, topics of interest include (but are not limited to) the
following areas:
- Virtual Reality as a Collaborative Working Environment (local and
distributed)
- Group Management, Awareness, and Sharing Support in CVE’s
- CVE’s for the Design and Development of Media-rich Applications
- Advanced, Innovative Human-Computer Interfaces for CVE’s
- Seamless Interaction with CVE’s including Mobile Devices
- User-Centred Design, Human Factors

The special issue will appear in the Springer journal Virtual Reality
(http://link.springer.de/link/service/journals/10055/index.htm). Papers
should typically be less than 8,000 words and of standard journal
content: reports of original research, review papers, essays and
discussions. Papers will be peer reviewed by a selected board of
reviewers in accordance with the journal’s normal process. Prospective
authors should indicate their intention to submit by 16th December,
2005, including a planned title for the submission, an abstract of
200-400 words, and names of authors. For instructions to authors please
see: http://fit-bscw.fit.fraunhofer.de/pub/bscw.cgi/36582660/

Papers should be submitted in Microsoft Word or PDF formats by 24th
February 2006.
Please direct all submissions and correspondence to the guest editors.


Important Dates:
Deadline for expression of interest: 16th December, 2005
Deadline for submission of full papers: 24th February, 2006


Guest Editors:
Dr.-Ing. Leonie Schäfer
EU Commission – DG Information Society – New Working Environments
Email: leonie.schaefer@cec.eu.int

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Steffi Beckhaus
Universität Hamburg, FB Informatik - interactive media/virtual environments
Email: steffi.beckhaus@uni-hamburg.de