1

Overview of the RURAL WINGSProject

(IST FP6-516161)

2

What we want to do

To provide satellite tele-education services to remote users by using the most recent technogies in more than 10 countries in Europe and beyond

Motivation a) who are the remote users In rural areas: islands, mountainous regions select proper areas

pilot sites

Motivation b) address EC policy for “Broadband for all„ Simple IP or ISDN line does not serve this demand Need for ADSL services high bit rate, faster, transmission of high

performance applications (streaming video etc) Pilot sites in areas where ADSL is not available The required services can only be supported by satellite technology

3

What we want to do (2)

Motivation c) validation According to strategic objective 150 sites in the proposal Now 100 due to the withdrawal of Latin America

Motivation d) Training To train people to learn by themselves - „learn by doing“ – Through advanced technologies infrastructure

What tele-education services RURAL WINGS introduces Learning@school Learning@work Learning@home

4

How we are going to do itSatellites: What we have in the project (satellite time cost covered by the project funding)

Eutelsat (W3 and the Atlantic Bird 2 satellites) : Covers pilot sites (RURAL WINGS partners) from: Spain, France, Turkey, Poland, Romania, UK, Esthonia, Israel Satellite time cost covered by the Eutelsat funding

Hellassat Covers pilot sites from: Greece, Cyprus, South Africa (HellasSAT S1 steerable beam) Satellite time cost covered by the HEllassat funding

Telesat Covers pilot sites from: Canada Satellite time cost covered by the Canadian partners own budget (i.e. EMS)

5

How we are going to do it (2)Satellites that will be used outside the project

(satellite time cost will be paid to satellite operators by the project budget) Thor II and III satellites Covers pilot sites (from: North Sweden, Finland

Alternative solutions Hispasat 1A/1B, 1C or 1D (S. America) Sirius 2 or 3 Thor II or III (Nordic region)

DVB/RCS Hubs available 1 from Eutelsat in Turin, Italy 1 from EMS in Canada 1 from HellasSat in the Hellenic Aerospace Industry (Greece) premises

6

How we are going to do it (3)System Architecture (backbone)

Satellite network

Remote area LANSatellite terminal

@

INTERNET backbone

PLATFORMS

CONTENT

LEARNING HUB

WIRED AND/OR

WIRELESS LAN

END USERS terminals

DVB-RCS hub

TWO WAY EXCHANGE OF DATA-FDW LINK DVB/MPEG2 DATAFORMAT (45Mb/s)-RTN LINK USING MULTI-FREQ.TDMA (2Mb/s)

7

System Architecture (earth connections – satellite channels)

Each pilot site is a learning Hub

Each Learning Hub owns a SIT (DVB/RCS terminal for the satellite connection)

8

System Architecture (Learning Hub and WiFi users connection)Many users are connected to the Learning Hub through i.e. WiFi

9

How we are going to do it (4) Content upload channel:

a) NC through elearning platform satellite b) NC through elearning platform through network (internet) DVB/RCS hub satellite

Content download channel: satellite DVB/RCS hub (router to deliver the content to users) learning hubs (pilot stes)

users networks (WiFi or WLAN or directly)

Communication between NCs in different countries either through satellite or via Internet (ADSL)

Hybrid architecture: satellite channel use and ADSL where available

The parameters for that selection of each pilot site connection: Selection of the application : which elearning platform Selection of the user network : WiFi, WLAN, direct, other Selection and specifications of equipment to be purchased by commercial vendors

Is subject of WP2 (Feasibility Study) and WP3 (User needs analysis)

10

How we are going to do it: Learning ServicesMethodology

Open source platforms will be used Learning by doing approach will be used The users learns by himself given simple instructions throught the e-learning platforms and

creates his own lessons Learning by doing tutor center methodology (like most commercial e-learning platforms) tutor center methodology is not adopted by Rural Wings

Platforms (already available by the RURAL WINGS partners) WebTV platform provided by DBC/progressTV (ID:19) E-learning platform provided by FORTHNET (ID:23) E-Shop platform provided by FORTHNET (ID:23, agroweb application) E-learning platform provided by EA (ID:7, MUSE project) E-LAB platform for distance science laboratories experiments provided by FOURIER

(ID:27) E-training for SMEs platform provided by INSEAD (ID:8, VERDI project) MEDSAT platform for tele-medicine application provided by TELEMEDICINE (ID:25)

11

How we are going to do it: Learning Services (cont.) Selections of pilot sites - Motivation

Geographical and climate reasons Isolated islands, rural areas in high mountains, countries in the borders of Europe

No advanced internet access (ADSL) will be available for the next 10-20 years

Categories of applications educational applications: Multigrade schools

medical applications: people in need for medical care or

People looking for profesional occupation without necessarily leaving their home

Areas that can be fully covered by the selected satellite

To retain the local population in rural areas providing services that could be found in urban areas bridge the digital divide

Create target market for satellite tele-education services

Validation purposes

12

How we are going to do it: Learning Services (3) Who selects the Pilot Sites National Coordinator

Role of National Coordinator: Is the organization who will be responsible for the operation of the pilot sites in his country

The N.C. delivers the learning content to the pilot sites / Learning Hubs in each country

Provides the equipment to the Pilot Sites (WiFi terminals and equipment etc)

Knows the special particularities of the rural areas in his country Selects the exact pilot sites: exact village or building Acts as the intermediator between the pilot sites and both the satellite

backbone and the education and training context change agent Will act as an agent for creating public awareness in his country Selects the persons that will be responsible for each group of users or

each village local agents

13

Scenario ExamplesLearning@school

The case: multigrade schools: the teachers are not familiar with the teaching methodology needed

Who will train them: i.e. UoA for Greece and UoB for Spain who have expertise on the subject

How this will be acheived: through the EA or FORTHNET e-learning platform

The teacher (through the WiFi – Learning Hub – DVB/RCS satellite terminal) downloads the platform

Outcomes: Teacher‘s training: Finds instructions for teaching methodoly, answers to his

questions via exisiting tools in the platform, creates and simulates his own teaching methodology based on the platform instructions

Students education inside classroom: While the teacher is occupied with the lower grade, the higher grade students can download from the platform on line lessons or surf the web trying to find more info for the they were just taught

14

Scenario Examples (2)

Learning@work The case: a farmer would like to create his own web address to

sell his products in a dynamic way

Actions: Downloads the FORTHNET e-shop platform Following the platform instructions: Creates his own page selecting images, colors Adds photos and info of the products he wants to sell Creates his own inventory Creates the preferred method of payment (i.e. Credit card) Launches his own agro e-shop on the web

15

Scenario Examples (3)

Learning@home The case: a student would like to learn more about radioactivity

while he is at home

Actions: He downloads the FOURIER e-science lab platform He is connected to 5 experiments in Israel and USA. The student can watch an on-line lesson of the experiment Can make his own settings for the experiments remotely Can make his own tests remotely

16

Addressed objectives To perform an extended validation and usability evaluation process How this will be done: by deploying the system to 100 sites, using many different applications in different rural

conditions Measurable Criteria: number of sites, number of applications and users

To determine how the DVB-RCS platform will need to evolve in order to fulfil increasing user expectations

How this will be done: through EMS/Astrium (Canada) who were involved in the DVB/RCS standard (ETSI) Measurable Criteria: roadmap for standards adaptation in the end of the project

To create a world-wide network of Learning Hubs in rural areas How this will be done: each pilot site is a learning hub and thus a learning network is created online via satellite

through the scenarios and applications Measurable Criteria: number of pilot sites connected and users

To introduce a new learning culture. How this will be done: by using open source platforms making the user to learn by himself Learning by doing Measurable Criteria: number of different kinds of applications - evaluation results

17

Addressed objectives(2)

To provide a range of learning methods that will enable users to become independent learners

Provision of e-Learning tools used by all members of the local community How this will be done: by deploying different kinds of e-learning platforms and tools Measurable Criteria: equivalent representation of learning@school, learning@work and

learning@home applications (approx 50 sites each)

Utilization of the ICT capabilities for promoting the local community’s interests How this will be done: use of tools according to the users needs – extensive training of

the users for the platform tools – pilot sites act as agent for creating awareness and disseminate their products to local community and beyond

Measurable Criteria: number of sites, number of applications and users

Enhancement of the communication between rural communities How this will be done: extensive dissemination and through the network itself Measurable Criteria: workshops - dissemination deliverables - media coverage -

publications

18

Who are going to do whatSatelite Component

ASTRIUM, ICCS, EMS: System architecture depending on pilot site and application

ASTRIUM: Provides equipment to Spain and France EUTELSAT, HELLASSAT, EMS : Provide the satellites and DVB/RCS HUBs EMS: Adaptation of DVB/RCS platforms and stadarization

Content (Scenarios Development) AVANTI, UoA, UoB, UPB, IIE, NK, A&O, PBF,BGU CRC, PBF, AU, GB, INSEAD:

Provide content for their countries pilot sites INSEAD: provides the content for the SMEs aplications (VERDI project)

Platforms and e-learning tools FORTHNET: E-shop platform (platform adaptation) EA, FORTHNET: E-Learning platforms FOURIER: E-laboratory platform (platform adaptation) INSEAD: SMEs training platform FORTH, TELEMEDICINE, ERC: Medsat paltform (platform adaptation)

19

Who are going to do what (2)

Market INSEAD, QPLAN, AVANTI:Market research and analysis AVANTI: Business plan

Management ICCS: Strategic coordination-Decision making (financial planning of

resources) ASTRIUM:Technical coordination of pilot sites Q-PLAN: project‘s office

Other EDEN, EA: Project dissemination ASTRIUM, INSEAD: Validation ICCS, EUTELSAT: Usability Evaluation MIT/MEDIA LAB, UoP: Consulting, internal assesment in scenarios

development

20

System Architecture Typical hybrid satellite-WiFi infrastructureTypical hybrid satellite-WiFi infrastructure