Megaconferences and Spinoffs Dr Bob Dixon Chief Research Engineer OARNet and Ohio State University Internet2 Commons Site Coordinator Training September 27, 2004 Austin. Texas

2 Megaconferences and Spinoffs  Megaconference V - Dec 10,  Megaconference Jr. - May 6,  Keystone Conference - Oct 25-26,  Megaconference VI – Dec 9,  Megaconference Jr. II – May 5,

3 The Megaconference is: World’s largest Internet video conference. EVERYONE is invited. H.323 Standard. A professional conference with no central location. The speakers and audiences are distributed throughout the world. Fully interactive. Worldwide network of Multipoint Control Units, cascaded together. A test of and a push for the state of the art.

4 Megaconference V December 10, Hours, in 3 sessions because of global time 200 Organizations 1000 People 27 Countries 5 Continents

5 Some of the Presentations Remote Music Education - Canada Research Collaboration between Germany and New Zealand Lewis and Clark Expedition Re-Enactment Lockerbie, Scotland and Syracuse University Joint Memorial Poland, Finland, Greece, United Kingdom Educational Collaboration Rural West Texas K-12 Education

6 Some of the Musical Events Recorder Ensemble - Pennsylvania Fifth Grade Chorus - Texas Folk Song Sing-Along - North Carolina Tennessee Schmaltz - Tennessee Digeridoo - Australia Megachoir - EVERYWHERE

7 Other Events Roll Calls, to give everyone a chance to say hello to the world. Fantastic Door Prizes. The Megacon café, where anyone can talk to anyone. Forbidden Prank

8 Megaconference VI Dec 9, All Over the World Theme – Let’s Talk: Global Communications Innovation Participatory Videoconferencing Registration Opens – Oct 8 Deadline for presentation proposals – Oct 29

9 Megaconference VI New Features This year Special Emphasis on Interactive Presentations Simultaneous Multiple Locations Audience Participation Take Advantage of New Technologies SIP Gateway Fast Software Endpoints Encouragement of K-12 Presenters

10 Megaconference Jr.  May 6, 2004 (Mega Jr II May 5, 2005)  Uses the Megaconferences Format  For the K-12 Audience  All presentations by kids, to kids  120 Schools  29 States  11 Countries  4 Continents  12 Hours, moving westward around the world

11 Some of the Presentations  A field trip by Singapore students to rural Borneo.  Discussing summer camp, by deaf students in Maine.  Re-enacting the Oklahoma land rush, by students from Oklahoma.  Protecting the Sea Environment, by students from Hawaii.  Steroids in Sports, from students in Rhode Island.  Building Hurricane-Proof Houses, by students from Florida  The Role of Women, by students from North Carolina.

12 Some of the Musical Events  A young violinist from the Cleveland Institute of Music.  Traditional native dances and singing by students in Alaska.  Maori singing and dancing by students in New Zealand.  Bongo drumming ensemble by students in Michigan.  Native Hawaiian songs by students in Hawaii.  “Waltzing Matilda” sung by students in Australia.

13 Singapore

14 Michigan Drummers

15 Spain

16 Maine Campers

17 Australia

18 Hawaii tired kids

19 Keystone Conference  Organized by Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration (CILC)  Audience is K-12 Teachers and Administrators  Uses Expanded Megaconference MCU Topology  Four simultaneous conferences  IP, ISDN, ATM video types, intermixed  USA and Canada  Universities and State K-12 Networks  Two days, 6 hours/day  Local audience in Indianapolis. Remote audience everywhere

20 Summary  Huge Unique Events  Challenging technical problems  Many people help in many roles  Months of planning  All volunteer effort  Very rewarding  Makes people aware of what is possible  Applies modern technology for public good  Makes the world a better place  “The more we get together, the better it will be”