Mobile Information Technology Environments

In the MITE project, we devised and prototyped seamless integration between large-scale multiuser displays and personal mobile devices in a control room environment

Since 1999, we have worked together with ABB Corporate Research, the R&D division of one of the world’s largest industrial engineering companies, in the area of interaction design for large-scale multiuser displays and personal mobile devices. A series of prototypes have come out of this collaboration; all researched, designed, and implemented to be used by service technicians and operators in various kinds of highly automated industries. These systems have not been ideated, designed, and implemented as individual, one-off systems, but rather to become part of an existing ecosystem, what we call ‘Mobile Information Technology Environments’. The vision has been that mobile devices and applications should be primarily designed to work together with—rather than replace—stationary information technology. 

This particular interaction design research project was carried out between 2005-2007, funded by ABB Corporate Research, the Swedish Research Grants organization Vinnova, and the mining company New Boliden AB.

The objective of the project was to design and implement a functional experience prototype of a future control room system, based on ABB’s 800xA, specifically targeted for one of ABB’s customers: New Boliden AB. We designed and implemented this prototype as a large, multitouch screen which automatically connects and extends to the mobile device (a PDA -- remember, this was 2005!) of any users standing in front of the screen.

About this Project

This project was carried out in Umea Design Research Group at Umeå Institute of Design, Umeå University, between 2005-2007.

The MITE project was funded by ABB Corporate Research and Vinnova

Design Team

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Project video