New: this project is also covered on d-touch.org.

uWiki is a wiki-based system that makes it possible to associate multimedia content with d-touch markers. uWiki includes a mobile client running on Symbian S60 devices, written in Python and C++, and a server, based on the open source TikiWiki engine. By scanning a d-touch marker through the mobile client, users can retrieve multimedia content associated to it, and edit or add new material. The system also provides a web-based interface to the same information, to allow richer access through personal computers when available.

uWiki is designed as a platform that can support different applications, from authoring and presentation of interactive tour guides and treasure-hunt style of mobile games, to collaborative marker-based annotations in a wiki-like fashion. Permissions can be set to control which users can add and edit which content, ranging from situations where common users can only view existing content created by system administrators, to ones where they can view existing content and add comments (as for example in blogs), to situations where anyone can edit anything (as in wikis). Content attached to each marker can be organized in multiple threads, with items being posted as replies to other items (as in a web forum), or a piece of content can be set to automatically play as soon as the marker is scanned.

uWiki is currently under development, a functional prototype is available and it is expected to be tested in field trials in May 2009. Other field trial opportunities are currently under consideration, and we are looking for partners who may be interested in contributing or collaborating - if you have any interest or would like more information, please contact me directly.

The development of uWiki was supported by Alok Parlikar and Joël Schintgen, who worked as interns at the EPFL Media and Design Lab in summer 2007 and summer 2008.