Remote User Interface (RUI) - Control almost anything with your phone

At Frontend we get to work with a lot of cutting-edge technology, recently we got to work on some stuff, so new in fact, that its actually just a great idea bundled into a set of specifications. As its in a formative stage, there are no commercial products to provide an interaction template or paradigm. It's called Remote User Interface (RUI) and it could, if widely adopted, change the way that we interact with consumer electronics by blurring the boundary between computing, audiovisual and mobile technologies. Your next remote control could be your phone.

The Frontend team worked with our client, BridgeCo to deliver a proof of concept demonstrator to explain the new technology and to explore the feasibility of the current technology. A key objective was to assess the limitations of the current generation of mobile browsers and to what extent they support the event-based operation required to make the user interface fluid and engaging.

What’s RUI?

RUI is based on a list of other technologies with equally obscure acronyms however, the basic idea is simple; Devices are connected to a home network and allow external control via a small embedded webserver on the device . Access to the device can be made by any other device on the network using a web browser. The upshot is you can control potentially any audio/visual device with a wifi capable mobile phone or any other networked device, no need for plugins or software.

So why haven't we got it already?

Well there's still a few glitches to iron out before RUI hits the mainstream.

1. So far not many mid & low end mobile phones have wifi network cards, ruling out the bulk of potential users.
2. Hooking up your mobile to your Digital Music Player (DMP) requires something called Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) which is not yet universal. In fact you probably have it already but it's disabled by default on many network appliances and devices.
3. The biggest problem as usual is the performance of mobile browsers which, with the exception of Safari on the iPhone and perhaps Android (from what I'm reading), are inconsistent and often unreliable. In particular the need for improved JavaScript support is essential, as time and event-based interactions are a must for controlling devices.

On the positive side, once device controls are moved into web browsers we have excellent paradigms for interaction and control. There's no reason why the experience of controlling audio/visual devices need be any less engaging or different from using YouTube, Last.fm or iTunes.

Where's it going to end?

After considerable thought on the subject I think the most likely endpoint is a Portlet-based solution similar to iGoogle or MyYahoo or Facebook applications. Device control widgets could be mixed with web content such as weather and stock quotes. Individual control portlets would be delivered to mobile devices as widgets. And why stop at network connected multimedia? Why not your fridge, security system or best of all electric blanket, the possibilities are endless once the basic paradigm has become established.

What's different about RUI?

I suppose the iPhone/Mac ecosystem people are already saying big deal, I can already control iTunes from my iPhone. What's more there are plenty of universal remote controls available already and home controllers are become more and more affordable. However RUI has a few advantages:

1. It's potentially very cheap because it uses your existing network and mobile phone.
2. It's based on some widely accepted standards and protocols which means it is likely to be well supported by manufacturers.
3. It employs familiar web technologies which should mean that it's easier to develop and familiar to users.
4. It doesn't require downloads, installation or drivers means no tricky setup. It should be as easy as choosing the device from a list and putting it into your bookmarks.

BridgeCo AG (Zurich)

BridgeCo (Zurich)is a global leader in (OEM) networked home entertainment platforms, connecting internet media sources, computers, and consumer electronics throughout the home.Their customers include Philips, Denon, Terratec, Noxon and M-Audio. Frontend worked with BridgeCo to conceptualise a new remote interface based on the emerging Remote UI (RUI) standard from the Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA). RUI technology will allow users to control any network enabled audio visual device using a mobile phone or computer. This technology is intended to replace the current device specific remote controls with a single universal control standard.

Frontend offer a full range of Device UI design services for clients such as D-Link International, HP and BridgeCo. For more information contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it