Nikos Pappas

The KYDONIA Multimedia Information Server

This paper describes the development of a multimedia information server that supports state-of-the-art distributed applications. This is achieved through techniques for efficient storage management of large objects, the provision of real-time data pumps controlled by scheduling mechanisms, multimedia object modelling and ODBMS functionality for the manipulation of objects. The system delivers MPEG-2 video and audio streams to multiple clients and supports browsing on the components of HTML documents and on MPEG-2 video sequences. The server functionality is exported as a proprietary application development interface in a sophisticated client subsystem. Current research focus is on content-based browsing and retrieval techniques as well as for the completion of the implementation of the DAVIC-compliant server functionality of the system.

Metadata Management and Sharing in Multimedia Open Learning Environment (MOLE)

This paper presents a framework and an architecture for learning resource management and sharing aiming at facilitating the implementation of such functionality on top of existing Learning Management Systems. It also presents the implementation of this framework and its integration with the MOLE (Multimedia Open Learning Environment – http://www.moleportal.eu/) system. Main components of this architecture are: (a) the LOM Editor, an intuitive web based tool that is able to accommodate different Application Profiles, while getting adapted accordingly; (b) The LOM Repository that stores the metadata generated by the LOM Editor and implements the common repository services (search/expose, submit/store, request/deliver) for the management of metadata records; (c) the user interfaces that exploit those services to expose the metadata management functionality to end-users; and (d) an OAI-PMH interface that allows for harvesting of the repository metadata from large repositories/federations (e.g. ARIADNE, Organic.Edunet etc.) on top of the repository.

A Service Oriented Architecture for Managing Operational Strategies

In this paper we present a case study where an e-business platform (OPERATIONS) has to be built in order to manage the operational strategies of a high volume coastal company. The platform is intended to support multiple operational scenarios that have to be executed when emergency situations or sudden changes of scheduled events unfold. In order to properly integrate all the involved parties that may take part in such a scenario, the system must support multiple interaction patterns according to the communication channel and the device that is used. Thus, its design must take into account multi-channel delivery of functionality and information. The design of the system follows a Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) in order to properly integrate back-office data sources and legacy systems with new required application extensions providing a complete e-business platform. The core business logic tier of the system is a Process Oriented Platform (POP) that is able to dynamically generate the appropriate workflows, to orchestrate the constituent services and to execute complex operational scenarios interacting with involved users and systems in a multi-channel fashion. Finally, appropriate knowledge bases have been defined to support the storage, evaluation, and evolution of the executed scenarios and to provide valuable Business Activity Monitoring information to the company’s administration.

The SICMA Multimedia Server and Virtual Museum Application

This paper presents the SICMA Multimedia Information Server that was demonstrated during the first public trial of the ACTS project SICMA, which took place at the Natural History Museum of London and in the Gallo Romeins Museum of Tongeren (Belgium), from June to September of 1997. The demonstrator application, namely the “Virtual Museum”, is also presented.

Design, Implementation and Evaluation of a Computer Science Teacher Training Programme for Learning and Teaching of Python Inside and Outside School

We present the design, implementation and evaluation of a training programme for Computer Science teachers on the educational use of the Python programming language inside and outside school. The programme used educational resources centered on meaningful, self-contained programming projects. The training programme followed a blended-learning approach thus offering an opportunity to many computer science teachers make their first steps towards the educational use of the Python language within a very promising learner-centered pedagogical framework. Using initially an online course made it possible to reach a much greater number of Computer Science teachers, especially those living in remote areas and through them, have a considerable impact on students through the subsequent establishment of local code clubs. The synchronous interaction with the course facilitators during the monthly sessions, the forming of local groups and the systematic communication through the learning platform used, made it possible to alleviate many of the disadvantages usually linked with online courses as it is evident from the evaluation results.

The SICMA Teleteaching Trial on ADSL and Intranet Networks

The provision of interactive multimedia services, such as video-on-demand, teleshoping and distance learning, to a large number of users, still remains a challenging issue in the multimedia area. Despite of recent technological advances in all levels of the distributed multimedia infrastructure (storage, network, compression, standardization etc..), there is a strong need for feedback from public trials. Trial descriptions and evaluations, by revealing potential system limitations and measuring end user reactions, will provide valuable input towards the large-scale deployment of such services. In this paper, we present the teleteaching trial that was held at the end of 1998, at Limburg University (Belgium), in the context of ACTS SICMA project. We describe in detail the overall architecture and present results/implementation experiences for the parts of the system, putting the main emphasis on the server. We present technical integration issues between DAVIC and Internet server protocols (RTSP, DSM-CC etc..), and discuss the overall trial results.