MultiCross – A programming Library for multi-party Collaborative Applications

Supervisors: Denis Lalanne

Student: Silvan Troxler

Project status: Finished

Year: 2011

This report illustrates the development process of a the java library MultiCross, which allows developers to easily create their own multi-party applications using a stable communication over the network and using the DiamondTouch Table, Wiimotes as well as the standard mouse as input devices. Such a library simplifies the developers’ work when creating a collaborative application. Beside the native support for the mentioned devices, the MultiCross Library can be extended in order to work with different devices and to add or modify behaviour to the application.

The whole server/client architecture as well as the library itself were firstly planned and then implemented. Parallel to the library, two applications were designed and implemented as a help for building and improving the library, but also as use cases to validate the MultiCross Library at the end.

The development and the result were discussed critically and improvement ideas were given.

The goals of having more than one user per machine and more than one client in the net-work, but also having support for the DiamondTouch and Wiimotes were fully fulfilled. The newly formed library can be extended in order to include new devices, new events and there-fore match the different applications’ needs. This report documents the whole development process and therefore gives you an idea of how the goal was achieved and what the major challenges were. Furthermore, with the help of the two use cases, an example is given of how the library can be used in order to build a new application and to adjust it for one’s own need.

Document: report.pdf