Alternate Reality Kit,

Smith, R.B. Experiences with alternative reality kit an example of the tension between literalism and magic. In IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications, 7, (42-50), 1987. 

Abstract I describe a system called ShaiedARK (for Shared Alternate Reality Kit,) which may serve as a prototype for a future distance education technology. In Shar ARK, each single-user site consists of a computer workstation, an audio headset, a video monitor, and video camera. Each site is physically isolated from the others and are connected via a computer-switchable audio-video and high performance computer networks. 

Keywords visual programming. Alternate Reality Kit, ARK, computer-based collaborative learning, distributed software systems, local area network. Media Space, motivation, object-oriented, real-time video links, SharedARK, Smalltalk-80, textual programming, virtual reality... 

SharedARK can be thought of as a multi-user, multi-workstation version of the Alternate Reality Kit [12,13] which has been enhanced with a computer-controlled audio-video netwoik. Like ARK, the computer-based component of SharedARK is an interactive, animated environment, in which everything is presented as a visible physical object with velocity and mass. Users employ a mouse-operated hand to press buttons, to carry and even to throw objects across the enormous two-dimensional surface. SharedARK has teen combined with a distributed, computer-controlled audio-video netwoik called the Media Space [14] at PARC in Palo Alto, or the Interactive Intermedia Facility at EuroPARC in Cambridge. Using compressed video and high bandwidth phone lines, SharedARK has teen used in real-time colls orative activities between workstations 600 miles apait. 

Scanlon, E. and Smith, R. B., A rational reconstruction of a bubble chamber simulation using the Alternate Reality Kit, Computers and Education, Pergamon Press, 1988. 

Smith, R. B., The Alternate Reality Kit an animated environment for creating interactive simulations. Proceedings. IEEE Computer Soc. Workshop on Visual Languages, June 1986, Dallas, Texas [CS-IEEE, Los Altos, Calif.,] pp. 99-106.1986. 

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