News 10-22-2002
Sponsor: SMART Technologies Inc.
DELIVER DYNAMIC LECTURES!
The Sympodium(TM) interactive lectern combines the advantages of the SMART
Board(TM) interactive whiteboard with a contemporary podium design. It's perfect
for larger classrooms and lecture theaters. To see the Sympodium interactive
lectern in action, order your free video CD-ROM. Reply before November 1, 2002,
and receive a FREE 12-disk CD case. http://www.smarttech.com/case
The Sympodium lectern lets you face your audience as you interact with your
presentation. The lectern's interactive screen and your auditorium's projection
system simultaneously display your computer image. Using the lectern's attached
stylus, you simply touch the interactive screen to control applications, access
the Internet or write electronic notes while your audience follows along. If
you have questions about SMART products in education, please contact us at [email protected]
or 1.888.42.SMART.
MIT Launches Center for Technology Innovation
MIT last week launched the Deshpande Center for Technological Innovation, a
grant-giving organization that will use a $20 million endowment to support research
by MIT faculty and students and facilitate collaboration among entrepreneurs,
venture capitalists, and business innovators. The center will support emerging
technology, including biotechnology, information technology, new materials,
tiny tech, energy, and environmental innovation. "Reducing the disconnect between
academia and the marketplace ... promises to accelerate the rate that technological
innovation reaches communities well beyond the boundaries of MIT," said Prof.
Charles Cooney. The Center plans to award $15 million in program grants over
the next five years, including nine grants already selected from a total of
47 proposals.
For more information, visit: http://web.mit.edu/deshpandecenter
Sponsor: Syllabus fall2002 Offers Networking, Interactive Discussions
Time is running out to register for the Syllabus fall2002 Education Technology
Conference November 3-5 at the Boston Marriott Newton Hotel in Newton, Mass.
Highlighted by pre-conference seminars, keynote speakers and breakout sessions,
the conference provides a multitude of networking opportunities and interactive
discussions to stimulate your thinking about technology on campus. Birds of
a Feather discussion groups are also scheduled for attendees to share information
and explore key areas of implementation on campus. For more details and to register,
go to www.syllabus.com/fall2002.
Georgia Schools Receive Economic Development Gift
Georgia Southern University and Georgia Southwestern State University received
$3 million worth of technology, software, and training from NCR Corp., part
of an economic development plan for rural Georgia. Under the arrangement, the
schools will own intellectual property rights to selected software applications
that NCR developed for global use by other business and government organizations.
The universities will take over ongoing enhancement and future development of
the software. Ultimately, NCR could become a distributor of the re-developed
software for the universities, in return for which the universities would receive
licensing fees. The fees are expected to generate revenue that the universities
can invest in future R&D and expansion.
Speech-to-Sign-Language Application Unveiled
Two imaging, speech and language technology developers last week unveiled a
product to convert speech into video-based sign language in real time. The iCommunicator,
developed by ScanSoft Inc. and Interactive Solutions Inc., is designed to help
people with hearing loss, as well as others without hearing loss, interact even
if they do not know how to sign. The application uses ScanSoft Dragon NaturallySpeaking
for automatic speech recognition, and ScanSoft RealSpeak for converting text
into synthesized human speech. In a classroom setting, a teacher wears a wireless
headset thatrelays what is spoken to a PC used by a student. The program converts
the speech into text, and simultaneously presents video sign language from a
database of more than 9,200 video clips. Developers said the application would
help meet requirements for equal access to information required under Section
508 of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
CMU Software Deal Focuses on Wireless Design
Carnegie Mellon University's Center for Wireless and Broadband Networking (CWBN)
and wireless technology developer Ansoft Corp. have struck a deal that uses
Ansoft software to help CMU students design, analyze, and understand wired,
optical, and wireless networks and systems. The three-yearagreement was kicked
off with an initial donation of HFSS and Ansoft Designer packages, advanced
software for the design of high-frequency systems. CWBN was founded in 2001
to focus on advanced heterogeneousnetworks through research, teaching, and technology
transfer. The Center is organized into four areas of expertise: networking,
wireless communication, telecommunications policy, and optical communications.
For more information, visit: http://broadband.web.cmu.edu
Planning Software for New Tablet PCs Unveiled
Productivity software firm FranklinCovey and a developer of mobile applications
will introduce TabletPlanner, a planning and productivity software application
for the Windows-powered Tablet PC. The tool will be introduced Nov. 7 during
the launch of the Windows XP Tablet PC Edition operating system. TabletPlanner
will initially be available for six Tablet PC manufacturers: HP, Acer, Fujitsu,
Toshiba, ViewSonic and PaceBlade. The program has a natural handwriting interface
based on the layout of the paper-based FranklinCovey Planner. It includes tools
such as the Appointment Schedule, Prioritized Daily Task List, and Daily Notes.
For-Profit Ranked as Fourth Best Small Company
Corinthian Colleges Inc., a private, for-profit company specializing in post-secondary
education, was chosen as the fourth best small company on the 2002 Forbes magazine
200 Best Small Companies list. The companies were ranked based on five-year
average and most recent 12-month return on equity and growth in sales and earnings.
Corinthian operates 64 colleges in 21 states, including 16 in California and
12 in Florida. The company says it serves the large and growing market of those
seeking to acquire career-oriented education to become more qualified and marketable
in their professions.
