The Pandora project was an experimental system for multimedia applications instigated by Andy Hopper in conjunction with Olivetti Research Laboratory Trumpington St., Cambridge, UK, CB2 1QA and the University of Cambridge, Computer Laboratory, Downing Place, Cambridge, UK, B23QG

Pandora was ajoint project between Olivetti Research Cambridge and the University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory. The project is investigating the use of multimedia workstations in a working environment with particular emphasis on digital video. It endeavours to place a camera on the desktop to make generation of multimedia documents as easy as producing text. We are aiming to produce a number of new applications as well as to provide insights into the way computer systems should be designed.

The project is in three stages. In the first a peripheral, Pandora's Box, has been designed. This box can be attached to any one of a range of workstations and provides multimedia features. In the second stage a number of such systems are being deployed amongst a community of systems developers and application writers. Finally we will use the experimental system in our daily work to evaluate new applications. From the users point of view the normal workstation environment is maintained but additional features are available.

This article is from Personal Computer World February 1992