International Program of Collaborative Research, CSEAS

Preparatory Research Concerning Remote International Training Aiming at Building a Resilient Society Adaptable to Extreme Weather Conditions
Project Leader: TAKARA, Kaoru, Disaster Prevention Research Institute, Kyoto University
（Term：2010 - 2011）

• Outline of Joint Research
• Purpose of Joint Research
• Outline of Result

• Joint Seminars in 2010 - 2011 Fiscal Year

Outline of Joint Research

This research is a feasibility study aiming at a comprehensive evaluation of the next generation remote conference system used for the international training program of UNESCO-IHP (International Hydrological Program).

Purpose of Joint Research

　

Conventional video conference systems connect one room to another room.

The next generation system connects the lecturer and multiple audience members directly through their respective PC screens.

　In order to strengthen the quality of international collaborative research in Asia, it is necessary to provide an infrastructure for daily-basis research communication among research sites that are geographically scattered throughout Asia. Nevertheless, communication tools such as conventional remote conference connections are costly to maintain. This research therefore aims at evaluating how to best use the next generation remote conference system comprehensively in a situation of research communication. This remote conference system provides a direct connection between a technical training program and the participant’s personal computers around the world, so that participants can easily access lectures or meetings along with training materials.

　This next generation remote conference system allows remote meetings and training without any special equipped conference room or any travel cost. Participants are individually directly connected to a virtual communication site, allowing for a more active participation than through a conventional room-based meeting system.

　How can such theoretical differences change the user’s experience? What are the benefits and drawbacks of this particular remote conference system in terms of economic efficiency, flexibility and technological availability? Through such an evaluation, we can determine how we can best use this technology as a communication infrastructure for international collaborative research.

Outline of Result

The result was far better than expected. This next generation of remote conference system allows remote training without any specially equipped conference room or any travel costs. Individual participants are directly connected to a virtual communication site, allowing a more active participation than through a conventional room-based meeting system. The user’s experience of “taking part in the meeting” is greatly improved and thus becomes a more positive one.
　For example, participants are not a “one in a connected site”, but every participant are directly connected to the virtual meeting room with computer screen, at the same level than the presenter.
　This represents a huge advantage, allowing participants a more active participation to the meeting. However, a few difficulties remain in the case of some on-hands training such as computer-based programming for numerical modeling, due to instability issues of real-time screen-sharing from the host.
　This new generation system also allows the full use of a variety of media such as voice + presentation materials, video + presentation materials with text/voice/video feedbacks from participants sites, real-time Q&A, polling, file download, recording whole training session in a click, etc.
　On a flexibility and technological availability point of view, the next generation remote conference system needs a single operator, no firewall configuration, no bandwidth reserving, no special room or equipments, which conventional conference systems normally requires. Other advantages are : each “virtual meeting room” can host a large number of sites, the bandwidth adjustment is automatic, just 1/10 internet speed (bandwidth) is enough to have the same (or higher) quality as a video meeting. Low bandwidth and no special equipment needed means greater availability of the meeting especially in areas with poor internet connections and without equipments or specialists.
　Instant recording function allows recording the whole session as is, and offers playback anytime after the meeting.
Combinations of these flexibilities and wider availability with easy operation literally revolutionize the practice of video meeting. Such virtual meeting rooms are available at prices as low as $1,000 per year (from 3 rooms minimum). Since the system is an “on the web” service, an updated new system is always available automatically without the hassle of maintaining physical machines or purchasing a new system. Due to these facts, this new-generation system also presents significant economical advantages.

▲Top of This Page