Megaconferences and Spinoffs: Connecting the World Through Internet Video

1. Megaconferences and Spinoffs Dr Bob Dixon Chief Research Engineer OARNet and Ohio State University Internet2 Commons Site Coordinator Training March 31, 2005 Atlanta, Georgia

2. Megaconferences and Spinoffs • Megaconference VI - Dec 9, 2004 http://www.megaconference.org • Megaconference Jr. - May 6, 2004 http://megaconferencejr.cciu.org • Keystone Conference - Oct 25-26, 2004 http://www.keystoneconference.org • Megaconference VII – Dec 1 or 8, 2005 Megaconference Jr. II – May 19, 2005 Keystone Conference II – Oct 3-4, 2005

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. A large general video conferencing email discussion list

4. Megaconference VI December 9, 2004 15 Hours, in 2 sessions because of global time 350 Organizations 3000 People 33 Countries 5 Continents

5. Some of the Presentations Hattie’s Story – American slave history Atikokan Culture – Northern Canada Natives Wireless Rural Ambulance Music Masters – Cleveland Institute of Music Searching for Anne Frank Ohio-Erie Canal Critters English as a Second Language – Chong Ming School, Taiwan

6. More Megaconference Parts Interoperability Demonstration Roll Calls, to give everyone a chance to say hello to the world. Regional hats. Fantastic DoorPrizes. 64 total; VSX-7000 Grand Prize The Megaconcafé, where anyone can talk to anyone. Forbidden Prank Megachoir Grande Finale Sing-Along

7. Regional and Special Hats http://www.gmpdc.org/projects/megacon6_hats.shtml

8. Megaconference Jr. • May 6, 2004 (Mega Jr II May 19, 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

9. 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. • Building Hurricane-Proof Houses, by students from Florida

10. 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.

11. Michigan Drummers

12. Maine Campers

13. Australia Singers

14. Hawaii tired kids

15. 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

16. 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”