Wikimania05/Presentation-RB1

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This page is part of the Proceedings of Wikimania 2005, Frankfurt, Germany.

 

 

 

Editing notes:

  • Will full paper be submitted?


Extending Wikipedia into the Physical World[edit]

  • Author(s): Russell Buckley
  • License: Creative Commons
  • Language: English
  • Slides: {{{slides}}}
  • Video: {{{video}}}
  • Note: Presentation, 30 minutes

About the author(s): Russell Buckley is a leading practitioner, speaker and commentator on the mobile/cell phone industry and its impact on society, with an especial interest in mobile-based marketing.

Abstract: {{{abstract}}}


Abstract[edit]

While the Wikipedia concept has been incredibly successful as a web based project, accessed by PC's, some recent developments in technology mean that there's an opportunity to take the Wikipedia vision and move it into the real world. For instance, a mobile/cell phone can "click" on an historical building (in the same way that a PC uses a mouse) and discover text, images and video content about history, previous occupants and even notable deaths that happened there. Or you could click on a flower and find its name, origin and history. Or click on a mountain top on a summer hike and see the view in winter.

An example of this kind of technology (but not the only one) is Siemens' Virtual Graffiti which I've blogged about here, in a slightly different context. But the vision can be summarised as:

If you project this idea into the future it’s conceivable that we would have a swathe of digital graffiti to enrich our environment. It would be both non-polluting and not even visible.

The only way that this vision could ever be realized would be via the same techniques and methodologies employed by Wikipedia -the amount of content needed would otherwise be impossible to create and edit.

This is Web 3.0, where physical world hyperlinks connect us to the digital world, to the benefit of all.