THE UMTV

DEMONSTRATION PROJECT:

EXPERIENCES IN THE SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE

AND EDUCATIONAL APPLICATIONS OF

INTERACTIVE HYBRID COMMUNICATIONS

LYNN CONWAY

PROFESSOR OF EECS, AND

DIRECTOR, UMTV DEMONSTRATION PROJECT

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, ANN ARBOR

IN MOST UNIVERSITIES:

• Computing is seen as the high technology in which to build instructional applications.
• Phones are mostly replaced by e-mail.
• Video is viewed for entertainment.

BUT, IN A FEW YEARS:

• A hybrid mix of 500 channel video nets, an enhanced Internet, and ISDN phone links will be "everywhere".

SOME KEY QUESTIONS:

• How can we commingle all these communications modalities to build more powerful applications?
• How might we prototype such systems and their applications now, in order to explore these futures?

THE UMTV DEMONSTRATION PROJECT:

At Michigan we're exploring the future by exploiting our extensive computer and phone networks, Plus a new campus-wide, interactive broadband video network (UMTV), Under a new special initiative (the UMTV project).

THE UMTV SYSTEM:

• Provides computer, phone and video links among many classrooms, labs, conference rooms, and dorm rooms all across the campus.
• The two-way, interactive video portions of the system were built by "opportunistic reuse" of an old Wangnet data communications system.

PARTICIPATION:

• Evolving from a small "skunkworks project", the system has rapidly spread across U of M, as many schools and departments have "bought-in", acquired stations, and built applications.

HOW DID WE CREATE THE VIDEO NETWORK?

We adapted an existing, unused Wangnet network. Wangnets used broadband CATV technology, in a "dual-cable" system, where data modems transmit to the "headend" on one tree of cabling, and receive from the headend on the other tree of cabling. We just use cable-TV modulators instead of data modems to create an interactive two-way video network.

Structure of the UMTV dual-cable broadband network.

NOW THE QUESTION IS:

• How to build hybrid communication stations that allow two-way interactions via the video network, and also cross-link with the phone and computer nets?

BUILDING A BASIC "UMTV STATION":

A basic station uses a video visualizer for showing documents, photos and objects, a VC-C1 robotic camera for general viewing, a video modulator for cable transmissions, and a TV to monitor local and remote views. A mike is used for broadcast audio. A speakerphone used for private audio.

Layout of a basic UMTV station

CLOSE-UPS of VISUALIZER and CAMERA:

Using a VIZ and View from a Viz

The Canon VC-C1 and using the VC-C1

EXPLOITING BASIC UMTV STATIONS:

• Basic stations were first deployed for familiarization and training purposes.
• Enabled users to easily get experience with on-site and remote visual communications.

A MORE ADVANCED, HYBRID STATION:

Here we add a computer connected to the telephone and computer networks. The computer enables hybrid linkages among all three networks. It also enables local and remote control of VC-C1's. A video pointer enables useful "telestration".

Layout of a more advanced station.

EXPLOITING THE ADVANCED STATIONS:

• Such stations provide linkages among networks for symmetric or asymmetric, synchronous or asynchronous, point-to-point or broadcast communications.

NEW INTERACTIVE CAPABILITIES:

• Project innovations provide new forms of "teleinteraction", such as "remote coaching".

Layout of station including remote-coaching capabilities.

REMOTE COACHING APPLICATIONS:

By tuning a remote site, overlaying the pointer and sending the visual information back to that site, we can point at items at the remote site, and thus coach remote viewers on practical skills in areas such as engineering, medicine, nursing, art, music, etc. For technical details, see U. S. Patent #5,444,476.

View of remote coaching by pointing into remote site.

Close-up of remote coaching using overlay pointer.

ENHANCING OUR CLASSROOMS:

We've also enhanced many (>60) University classrooms for hybrid visual communications. Included are links to computer, phone and video nets, and monitors for display from local and remote sources. These are basic, inexpensive enhancements that can be replicated at many sites at modest cost.

Enhanced classroom communications infrastructure.

EXPLOITING THE ENHANCED CLASSROOMS:

• Users bring a VIZ, computer, or phone, or even a portable UMTV station, depending on the needs that day.
• VIZ or computer is used for on-site visual communications.
• The phone can be used for asymmetric feedback to remote labs and other sites viewed via UMTV.
• The computer can be used for Internet access and display, including access to CuSeeMe sites.
• Portable UMTV stations can be used for symmetric access to remote UMTV sites.

Using an enhanced classroom for visual communications.

EXPANSION OF THE DEMONSTRATION PROJECT:

As prototype stations went into use at select sites, other units bought in, acquiring similar stations.

A "distributed, unit-based" use of the broadband network emerged, with each unit responsible for its own activities.

A very diverse set of units is now involved, as seen in the current UMTV channel allocation:

EVOLUTION OF APPLICATIONS:

Diverse applications of hybrid communications are being explored in the various units. The result is a sort of commingling of C-SPAN, talk shows, e-mail, FAX, MOSAIC, Cu-SeeMe, and telerobotics - - -

DISCUSSION OF EXAMPLES:

Classroom applications:

• VIZ's , computers, for on-site visuals;
• portable phones for feedback to remote labs.
  

Exploiting links with the residence halls:

• Remote office hours (Ex: "The Chemistry Hour").
  

Remote Laboratories:

• Robotics instructional lab, Tow-Tank lab.
  

Bulletin-board and Showcasing Services:

• Art, Architecture, Music, Univ. Library, Michigan Union.
  

Generalized Teleconferencing and Distance Learning:

• Remote CAM's, remote coaching, multi-site interactions.
  

Interactions with Sites outside the University:

• Bridging via satellite links, T1 teleconference sites, ISDN teleconferencing workstations, Cu-SeeMe.
  

SUMMARY

We've adapted existing infrastructure to create and propagate a futuristic "hybrid communications system" at University of Michigan. This system links most major classrooms, many labs, conference rooms and dorm rooms.

By crosslinking video, computer and phone networks, the user-stations of this system enable a wide range of symmetric, asymmetric, synchronous, asynchronous, point-to-point, and broadcast communications of voice, video and data information.

By getting many units at Michigan to buy into this "skunkworks project", we've stimulated evolution of many applications in a large-scale, realistic prototyping environment.

We're now guiding institutionalization of useful results.