InCtrl HD: Intuitive User Interface Control Using Wii Remote for High Definition Videoconferencing

There is an increasing rise in high definition (HD) videoconferencing solutions, due to the increase in demand for HD media and the availability of inexpensive Internet services. However, there is a need for simpler but effective user interface (UI) design and devices so that nontechnical people will be able to use a videoconferencing system with minimal training. The objective of this paper was to develop an HD videoconferencing system-InCtrl HD-with an intuitive UI. A media streamer using HDV format and a media player was integrated to support an HD resolution of 1920 × 1080 pixels at 30 fps. The UI was designed so that it can be effectively controlled by the Nintendo Wii Remote (Wiimote), which is a wireless device that can act both as a remote and a mouse pointer. As an added feature, InCtrl HD can also support sending and receiving of an HD multicast stream. Quality of experience (QoE) metrics such as end-to-end delay measurement, audiovisual and conversational quality were done to evaluate the performance of the system, while usability and task analysis tests were performed to evaluate the usability and ease of using the UI with the Wiimote as its control device. In Ctrl HD was able to establish HD video calls, and effectively control a graphical UI using the Wiimote. InCtrl HD obtained scores higher than the acceptable scores, indicating that the system has acceptable usability and had successfully achieved its objectives.