The ALTERNE project has been using a multicasting platform, Access Grid, which permits instant interactive contact with several sites and the possible use of multi-screens. The platform, developed by the Argonne National Laboratory in Chicago, operates over the interconnected academic research high bandwidth networks and is an extensible form of videoconferencing, permitting broadcast of multiple video streams from each site, near natural-quality audio and other media. The MARCEL network uses Access Grid permitting multi-screen presentations with several levels of support information broadcast simultaneously between several sites. The ALTERNE results will be distributed to the MARCEL membership over Access Grid.
The Access Grid® is an ensemble of resources including multimedia large-format displays, presentation and interactive environments, and interfaces to Grid middleware and to visualization environments Access Grid.
These resources are used to support group-to-group interactions across the Grid. For example, the Access Grid (AG) is used for large-scale distributed meetings, collaborative work sessions, seminars, lectures, tutorials, and training. The Access Grid thus differs from desktop-to-desktop tools that focus on individual communication.
The Access Grid has over issued 3,400 certificates to users across 47 countries. Each institution has one or more AG nodes, or "designed spaces," that contain the high-end audio and visual technology needed to provide a high-quality compelling user experience. The nodes are also used as a research environment for the development of distributed data and visualization corridors and for the study of issues relating to collaborative work in distributed environments.
The AG technology was developed by the Futures Laboratory at Argonne National Laboratory and is deployed by the NCSA PACI Alliance.
Mathias Fuchs presenting Multiple Viewpoint Telepresence over Access Grid to Wimbledon Faculty.
