CanalAVIST and DUMBO Projects provide virtual laboratory visits for School of Engineering and Technology Open House during Asian Institute of Technology’s 50th Anniversary

AIT’s Internet Education and Research Laboratory (intERLab) through its CanalAVIST and DUMBO Projects provided support to the School of Engineering and Technology (SET) of Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) in giving a virtual tour of its selected laboratories during SET Open House on 8 September 2009.

Among SET units, laboratories that were virtually featured were Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems (RS-GIS), Geoinformatics Center, Wind Tunnel Laboratory and the Industrial System Engineering’s (ISE) Mechatronics Lab. Actual participants of the open house attended a program at the Milton Bender Auditorium and laboratory visits were held virtually through DUMBO and CanalAVIST.

Dr. Taravudh Tipdecho and Mr. Aadit Shrestha introduced RS-GIS laboratory and their current projects, including RS-GIS equipments that were developed. Dr. Vivarad Phonekeo of Geonformatics Center also showed the participants around the GIC laboratory. It was followed by a visit to the Wind Tunnel Laboratory by Dr. Pennung Warnitchai which was actually situated in Thammasat University. Dr. Manukid Parnichkun of ISE-Mechatronics presented on “Advanced Mechatronucs Researches and Applications” from the Mechatronics lab. During the virtual tour, AIT’s intelligent vehicle was shown from the soccer field before threats of rain. ISE-Mechatronics showed tour participants of its recent projects. Somphong Thanok talked about AIT’s Kuen-Chai team intelligent vehicle, Narong Aphiratsakun showed the Exo-Skeleton Project, Wongsakorn Pornnutvuttikul presented the Self-balancing bicycle robot and Thieu Quang Tri showcased the Rehabilitation Device for children.

DUMBO networks were used to showcase AIT’s intelligent vehicle, which was set up at the football field at the back of the library. The intelligent vehicle project was broadcasted through DUMBO technology. Project DUMBO deploys mobile wireless network on an ad hoc basis for emergency conditions, such as after a natural disaster when a fixed network infrastructure is not available or had been destroyed. DUMBO allows streaming video, VoIP and short messages to be simultaneously transmitted from a number of mobile laptops to the central command center, or to the other rescuers at the same or different disaster sites.  AIT’s intelligent vehicle recently won in the Thailand Intelligent Vehicle Challenge besting 21 teams from 19 universities.

For the rest of the laboratories – Remote Sensing and GIS, GIC, Wing Tunnel and ISE, CanalAVIST Project provided the virtual tour. CanalAVIST utilizes high quality Digital Video Streaming technology supported by Mobile VClass, a low bandwidth technology developed in intERLab, AIT. Mobile VClass allows its users to interact in a classroom set up with video, audio, and chat features among others. CanalAVIST Project delivers real time lectures, talks, conferences, seminars, training materials and similar events to participant audiences from different geographical areas within ASEAN. CanalAVIST is set to broadcast ACGRID School (21 September to 02 October) from Hanoi and the International Conference in Sustainable Development in the Context of Climate Change (organized by AIT) on 24-25 September.

Approximately 40 people were in Milton Bender auditorium during the Open House, comprised of students and professors of School of Engineering and technology, project partners and visitors including interested prospective students. SET Open House was organized as part of AIT’s celebration of its 50th Anniversary.

Click here to view SET Open House Photos.