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Features
Mobility
11/29/2005
Carnegie Mellon University (PA), researchers under the leadership of Professor Asim Smailagic have developed a mobile, wearable system that is one part PDA, one part cell phone, and one part virtual secretary (it can screen calls and send them to voicemail if the user is in the middle of a class or important meeting). The next step for the system, dubbed SenSay: Smailagic hopes to network SenSay into the school's wireless network and create a plug-in application that expands the context for these context-aware tools. Read the articleReliable wireless connectivity for reliable communications
The University of Central Arkansas had difficulty with wireless signals in its basement classrooms and wireless coverage in and around buildings. UCA wanted to deploy a solution that could add more reliable network coverage and capacity, yet wouldn't cost an arm and a leg. Administrators selected ADC's Digivance Long-Range Coverage Solution and Indoor Coverage Solution, which made it possible for students and faculty to have complete access to the university's network and other services via portable computers, mobile phones, and other wireless communication devices. According to Ronald Toll, formerly dean of the school's College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics and special assistant to the president for Technology and Corporate Relations, students can now stream Web-based information and conduct Web-based research. Student presentations can even blend audio and video media forms.
Driving IT and network innovation
CIO and vice president for Information Technology at Duke University (NC), Tracy Futhey has been noted for her work with Duke's iPod project and has been involved in significant network innovation. When asked what she has learned about the nature of innovation, Futhey says that the most critical enlightenment is tied to relationships with faculty. "In terms of a strategy, I'm very big on the notion of working with faculty; meeting with faculty...and understanding what capabilities they need or may be creating. That's the key to innovation: viewing technology not simply as infrastructure, but as the gateway that can help provide faculty and students with advanced capabilities." Read the article
A parked improvement
As reported by Matt Villano in the November 2005 issue of CT, many schools have simply too many cars and not enough parking spaces. Such was the case at the University of California-Santa Barbara.With nearly 25,000 students, faculty, and staff members, and only 6,000 parking spots, parking was a real challenge for anyone visiting the campus during the weekday. "The situation on campus was pretty bad," admits Tom Roberts, the school's director of Transportation and Parking Services. "We knew there simply had to be a better way." After much research, Roberts turned to the
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