Open Access

Recent developments in information and communication technology, along with advanced displaying techniques and high computational performance open up new visualisation methods to both scientists and lecturers. Thus simulations of complex processes [1] can be computed and visualised in image sequences. The particular idea in our approach is the outsourcing of computationally intensive calculations to servers which then send the results back to mobile users. In order to improve interpretations of the visualised results, users can view them in a 3D-perspective or stereoscopically, given the technical requirements. Today’s technology even permits to view these visualisations on a mobile phone. An example for such a computationally intensive calculation originating from the theory of relativity is depicted in Figure 4.1-1.

The iSign project started in 2000 as a web-based laboratory setting for students of electrical engineering. In the meantime it has broadened into a heterogeneous learning environment offering learning material, adaptive user settings and access to a simulation tool. All these offerings can be accessed via web and wireless by different clients, such as PCs, PDAs and mobile phones. User adaptive systems offer unique and personalised environment for every learner and therefore are a very important aspect of modern e-learning systems. The iSign project aims to personalise the content structure based on the learner's behaviour, content pattern, policies, and system environment. The second aspect of the recent research and development within this project is the generation of suitable content and presentation for different clients. This generation is based additionally on the user preferences in order to obtain the desirable presentation for a given device. New, valuable features are added to the mobile application, empowering the user not only to control the simulation process with his mobile device but also to input data, view the simulation's output and evaluate the results. Experiences with students have helped to improve functionality and look-and-feel whilst using the iSign system. Our goal is to provide unconstrained, continuous and personalised access to the laboratory settings and learning material everywhere and at anytime with different devices.