VirCA NET and CogInfoCom: Novel challenges in future internet based augmented/Virtual Collaboration

Several challenges can arise during augmented/virtual collaboration. In this paper, we identify and classify some of these challenges from a cognitive infocommunications (CogInfoCom) point of view. The starting point of our analysis is the VirCA NET application, which was built on the Virtual Collaboration Arena (VirCA) and developed at the MTA SZTAKI. First, we demonstrate how VirCA and VirCA NET belong to the CogInfoCom paradigm and how they are also related to Future Internet. To highlight our ideas in a practical use-case, we identify key features of infocommunication in a collaborative scenario for building industrial production layouts. In the collaborative scenario, factory planning is defined as a multi-stakeholder and multi-domain challenge, which distributed planning teams have to face. Based on the features of VirCA NET and the specifics of the scenario, we outline a list of challenges, some of which are already solved by the system to some extent, and some of which remain to be solved in future work. The challenges are presented in relation to the theoretical background of CogInfoCom engines and CogInfoCom channels, in order to further strengthen the link between augmented/virtual collaboration and the goals of CogInfoCom.