April 2007






The ORION Showcase is a new section of the ORION Research and Discovery News that spotlights how connected institutions and organizations are using ORION to enhance research, teaching and learning in Ontario.

Seneca streams live New World Symphony rehearsal and performance

Seneca College recently connected to the New World Symphony (NWS) in Miami over ORION and Internet2, the R&E backbone in the United States, to broadcast a performance for feedback from a world-renowned composer. Michael Colgrass, who lives in Toronto, was able to give an immediate and accurate critique on the NWS orchestra's rehearsal and live performance of his music. The performances were broadcast by videoconference over advanced networks, utilizing unicast DVTS and a speed of 30 Mbps in each direction. Seneca received multi-camera shots of the orchestra on stage as well as multi-microphone audio so that Mr. Colgrass could offer, in real-time, detailed critiquing of the orchestra's rendition of his piece, Deja Vu. For more information, visit www.nws.edu/events and www.michaelcolgrass.com.

Broadband visual tools to connect 600 students across Canada


A record number of 600 high school students from across the country are expected to take part in the upcoming Youth Town Hall Session, the largest VirtualClassroom session to date, to virtually discuss the topic of "Diet & Body Image" on April 19, 2007.

Six high schools in Edmonton, Toronto, Ottawa, St. John's and Fredericton will communicate by videoconference over CAnet 4 and regional networks including ORION through newly-developed, research prototype visual communication tools. Five different technology and health organizations will provide the latest scientific health research on diet and body image. "To our knowledge, this is the first time that a broadband cross-Canada youth town hall session has taken place," said the Communications Research Centre Canada's (CRC) John Spence, who co-manages the CRC/NRC VirtualClassroom with Dr. Martin Brooks at the National Research Council Canada (NRC).

The program uses high-speed (10 MB to 1 GB) fibre optic and bidirectional satellite connections (500 kb to 1 MB) as well as broadband visual communication tools to create rich media-interactive learning environments. In addition to the synchronous, real-time discussion during the videoconference, each school will have access to tools for user generated online video as asynchronous visual communication. For example, each small group of students will generate a one-minute video using VCam, a visual communication answering machine, to describe the group's position on a health issue. It is then mounted on the VCam server where it is immediately accessible to the other participating students to comment on.

To learn more, visit www.crc.ca/eye_on_tech_issue5.

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