The escape demonstrator uses a non-stereo desk projection with the projection coming from underneath via a mirror placed under the desk. There is also an overhead structure containing video tracking (see below) and sound projection equipment. Three sides of the tabletop are lined with switches hidden in pads being triggered by users leaning on the desk or by simply pressing a pad. In the center of the Pond set-up is a touch enabled horizontal display. This display, which has the form factor of a large table, presents the view into the pond. Users can sit or stand around the display when working with the Pond.

Three dedicated workplaces exist around the central display area, each equipped with pressure sensitive surfaces. A pond table is intended to be operated by one to six users simultaneously and the limitation to three users is just to make the current demonstrator practical. There are no keyboards or mice input devices, instead user awareness and input is handled via gestures, pressure pads and tag operations.

To simplify the process of getting input from the pressure sensitive pads distributed around the Pond display area we have connected the cables from the pads to the internal wiring of the keyboard attached to the system driving the Pond. Putting pressure on a pad in this set-up will result in the generation of the corresponding letter on the keyboard. The Pond process will only have to monitor keyboard events. When a pad is pressed the Pond process will start listen to the RFID reader next to the pad to acquire the id of the token placed upon it.

The tags used in the Pond are divided into two groups, the predefined search categories tags and the personal selection tags. The predefined search categories tags are associated from the start to different categories in the subject being browsed. In the case of music the styles, this could for example be ‘Classical Baroque Symphonies’ or ‘Drum & Bass’. Putting one of these tags on a reader will populate the pond with search results in this category. The second type of tags, the personal selection tags, have no predefined associated data. These tags are used as markers to information gathered while Pond browsing. If the user puts a selection tag on the reader unit the information in the pond creatures he has caught will be saved and associated with that tag. Putting that tag on a reader unit at some later stage will bring back the information.

Radio frequency identification (RFID) is a relatively new technology, first appearing in tracking and access applications in the 1980s. The use of RFID systems for commercial and scientific applications is gathering speed and the full potential of RFID technology has only just started to be realized. A RFID system consists of three main parts; a data carrier also called a tag or a transponder, an antenna and a reader unit. The antenna generates an electromagnetic field that energizes a chip inside the tag. The electromagnetic field is modulated by the tag and the modulated signal is recovered by the antenna and sent to the reader unit for interpretation. The read-only tags have pre-programmed unique codes that are interpreted by the reader unit. For example, a 64-bit code could after interpretation be presented as a 10 digit hexadecimal code. The code in a read-only tag cannot be changed in any way.

The source of information we have chosen for this application is the electronic online music/CD store of Amazon.com. There are several reasons for this choice. The database is easily accessible and is formatted in a uniform and simple way. In addition, nearly all of the CDs available have one or more 30-second sample audio clips associated with them in a standard and easy to play format (RealAudio). Maybe most interestingly Amazon employs a recommendation system whereby each CD has links to other CDs people bought as well i.e. "Customers who bought this title also bought…", and there is a list of (typically) 5 links to related music items. Finally the concept of music selection and listening is an established and well-understood process by many laypersons

The Pond world tries to convey the feeling of a dynamic, changing and living environment while at the same time providing a rich set of possible feedback mechanisms. The always moving pond environment can be used in interesting ways to, for instance, convey system information, e.g. a less turbulent pond surface could indicate a slow connection to the rest of the world.
The main type of pond creature in the present application is the CD-creature. It looks like a flying saucer or a flattened out blob with its skin texture taken from the CD cover it represents. The CD creature responds to touch and speed of movement and uses interpolators to drive its (fish) animations.