NG Collaborative Working Environments in Remote and Rural Areas Collaborative Working Environments Call 5 Preparatory Workshop April 13th 2005 Carlos Ralli Ucendo Telefónica I+D

Index l eRural Reference Scenario l Ad-hoc Rural Networks (ARNs) l Key Technical Areas n Upper Layer Middleware n Collaboration Tools n Validating Applications l Other Challenges

Remote & Rural Settings Scenario CWE to increase co-workers efficiency & improve processes Several Specific issues when working in rural/remote locations l eRural Example Applications n Rural inspections, Fishery and/or Forestry inventory. n A Company offering products in customers remote premises l Increase Business success (product data, support information) l Head Office, Branch offices and on move commercials (dyn. workflows) n Livestock Sanitary Services Company l Save Financial and Human resources l Sensors, location, wearable computers, Software Agents, Communities n Platforms to deal with Humanitarian Aid l Improve Coordination and operability of Emergency groups l Compilation, Process and distribution real time data l Multimodal Interfaces, wearable computers

Remote & Rural Settings Scenario (II) l e-Rural Expert Group Vision n 2 landscape architects in a car evaluating a windfarm project n Interaction: Head Office, Environmentalists groups, HW, SW Agents l Consider Local Knowledge: Ad-hoc Communities l Provide public information about environmental care actions Complete story-line & details: eRural Expert Group Results Augmented Reality Interface Motorized Camera Eagles Route Eagles Disturbing Element (Environmentalists) GPS Mobile

Ad-Hoc Rural Networks (ARNs) Short/medium range networks used by in-field workers & devices n External Connectivity: Wireless Mobile & Wireless Fixed n Internal Topology: Short range communication methods n ARN Gateway: Signalling, Policies, Profiles & Status n Key Features: l Reconfigurability: Seamless Assembly/Disassembly of Device/Terminals l Autonomy: Service provision while Disconnected

Upper Layer Middleware Enable Multimedia Rich Collaboration Services Make Applications & Services aware of: n Advanced Network Services (QoS, Mobility, Security) n ARNs Reconfigurability & Autonomy n Context Awareness Technologies n Advanced Devices & Terminal Capabilities Developed over a 4G Service Network Platform n End-to-end transparent communications (IPv6) n Discovery, selection and aggregation of Access Networks n Vertical Roaming (IPv6 Mobility) n Terminal or Session Mobility: SIP/IMS Mobility n QoS Management, Secured connections, multicast, etc.

Collaboration Tools Services Components n Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) n Reusable and Interoperable Service & Application Components Information and other Resources n Data and Resources Dynamic discovery and allocation n Grids, Web services, P2P data sharing n Ad-hoc Communities: Peers discovery Data Exchange & Presentation n Semantic compatibility. Models & Modeling techniques n Security: IPR, Privacy, Integrity, Encryption, non-repudiation, etc. n Multimodal Context aware Interfaces (Contextualization, Ambient Int) n Augmented Reality: VR elements overlaying real scenarios Address Current and New Rural Scenarios (End-user involvement) P2P: Peers (equal entities) directly exchange service data Person-to-person, person-to-machine, machine-to-machine

Validating Applications Rural CWE are innovative & complex environments n Continuous Tests are needed to provide feedback to designers/devel. n RLL: End-users involved since the beginning in the research process. Performance and Integration Trials n Why: Test Platform & Collaboration tools n Where: Distributed/virtual Laboratory (Large Testbeds) n Who: Developers n What: Platform/Collaboration tools (isolated and combined) Rural Living Labs (RLL) n Why: Concrete & Validate Vision about CWE in rural settings n Where: Rural Living Labs involving real users n Who: Developers + In-field rural workers n What: Incremental Usable Environments

Other Challenges l Business/Organizational Challenges n CWE also to improve company processes l Enterprise Virtual Communities: Avoid work replication & boost innovation l Efficient Data discovery/allocation l Complex Intelligent SW Agents might be able to update Workflows n Create a platform for equal Cooperation relationships l P2P stands for Peers = equal collaborators l Centralized services are not adequate for such relationships n Create of Real Added Value profitable Services. l A must for feasible and sustainable CWE l Social Challenges n Remote and Rural areas will demand user-friendly CWE platforms. n Education using traditional & E-learning tools and IT familiarization actions are needed prior to deploy full working CWE in rural areas. n Consider cooperation at a European and Global Scale in order to share knowledge and boost economic growth in undeveloped areas.

Thanks! Questions ? Remote Settings & Rural Areas Scenario main contributors: Boriana koleva University of Liliana Casallas Hewlett Mariano Navarro Preben Morgensen Aarhus University Luigi Fusco European Space John Nolan European Carlos Ralli (Rapporteur) Telefónica Expert Group Contact: Isidro Laso European