onality was hardwired into it. For example, Casca was not specifically written to support video conferencing, but it could acquire that functionality as soon as members of the group shared cameras, speakers, and microphones. Obje is a key element of PARC's vision of ubiquitous computing, in which people are able to connect with the computers and telecom services that sur- round them, no matter where they are or what type of device they are using. It overcomes the problem of multiple, incompatible standards that prevents NUTS AND BITS-TELECOM HARDWARE, SOFTWARE, AND MORE ubiquitous computing from becoming a reality. PARC is currently seeking corporate partners interested in using Obje inside their own products and applications. 2.8 BARN OPENS THE DOOR New technology created by Carnegie Mellon University researchers will allow enterprises to create "smart rooms" that allow employees to participate in interactive electronic meetings, store important computer files, and secure sen- sitive research data. The school's new BARN project provides the digital equivalent of dedicated meeting rooms. The technology is designed to give everyone in an organization, from entry-level clerks to upper management, the ability to instantaneously access a wide array of information from almost anywhere. Instead of seeping out over months and years, ideas can be zapped from an interactive project room to counterparts around the globe in a blink of an eye. "The use of BARN technology will help companies and organizations become more fluid and molecular," says Asim Smailagic, a principal research scientist with Carnegie Mellon's Institute for Complex Engineered Systems (ICES). "Our powerful BARN tools permit users to organize, retrieve, store, and share information from multiple modes of collaboration," says Smailagic. Companies using BARN will be able to perform as autonomous business units that are connected across geographies via a network. Every room using the technology will be seamlessly connected, allowing employees to work togethe