在經濟全球化趨勢下，現今企業多採取專業分工模式以維持核心競爭力，造成產品開發團隊可能分散於世界各地的情況，而協同設計被視為進行分散式產品開發的有效策略。然而，現有的協同設計系統，大多數是針對大型的工業，像是航空業及汽車業來開發，且多為封閉式的系統，因此使用者難以根據其本身特殊的需求加以客製化。
在本論文中，我們利用 JAVA與 VRML技術建構出一低成本的硬體配置、高度客製化與符合一般企業需求的重要協同設計元件之開放式的虛擬協同設計系統。透過此系統，可以達到多重面向的協同設計環境、協同訊息的互通有無、完整的協同記錄與完善的系統安全設置，企業可及時的透過虛擬環境觀看研發之新產品，並可提早發現設計不合理與錯誤之處，縮短產品開發之前置時間，達成新產品提早上市的目標。同時，系統環境亦可支援各式行動裝置與平台，讓使用者無須 PC即可透過無線網路及 PDAs進行虛擬協同設計。此外，配合多重行動代理人技術的自主性與智慧性，可協助專案發起者能夠有效的組織虛擬團隊，更使得協同設計能夠不受時間與地點的限制，克服區域及時差的障礙，共同解決新產品開發的重要問題及達成共識；最後透過協同設計可以設計出市場需要的產品。研究成果除了能夠增強大型工業的協同設計能力外，對於中小型企業協同設計環境的改善皆有明顯的助益。

Engineering design often involves several iterations through a design cycle before the final project emerges. This is because many different professionals are involved at different stages and may make minor modifications to the design, forcing the process back through earlier iterations. For example, these professionals may be specialists in
mechanical engineering, maintenance or manufacturing. Existing systems for design collaboration mostly aim for large industries such as aerospace and automotive and run as a closed application with little or no room for customization.
We herein proposed an open, distributed environment that requires inexpensive hardware and embeds highly customizable open source software for virtual collaboration. The core of this environment is a software framework that can deploy and control many interconnected designers and applications at geographically remote locations. Meanwhile, this software should allow the users to do the design collaboration through PDAs. For example, CAD, CAE and CAM applications can all
be viewed and discussed from within a single application by multiple designers. The environment can benefit not only large industries but also SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises).