VisionAIR Trials: Bremen

In Bremen, VisionAIR activities will be carried out in two separated trial applications, which differ regarding the composition of the end-user groups, the services offered to the end-users and the technical means by which end-users connect to the network.

"Car Sharing" Application

This application is of an open nature and applies to all people on the Bremen University campus, giving them the possibility to offer and search car rides and interact with each other by a variety of communication techniques.

End users will be able to use the system either via their own WLAN-equipped notebook computers or by any computer within the Campus network, including especially the public terminals which already exist, offering access to various information services and the Internet.

Once logged in, users can both offer and search car rides by specifying constitutive parameters like time and destination as well as other preferences like "non-smoker only" etc. The backend system will check if a matching entry already exists. If yes, there will be the possibility to connect the two persons by a variety of techniques. In the best case that the matching end user is logged in too, and both end users' devices are accordingly equipped, a direct audiovisual connection will be established and the two can discuss by video-conferencing the details of their conjoint ride. In case of missing technical equipment or if the matching user is currently offline, the backend system will offer other means for communication, mainly messaging functions in the variants sending of video, voice, or text messages.

To use the car sharing system, every user is required to create an account containing a few personal data, like how to contact him/her etc. In extension to this, users shall be able to deposit a video self introduction of themselves. Other forms of community building can be considered, e. g. feedback rating for frequent users.

The system will be made fully public among all the other existing campus information systems for every person having access to the Bremen Campus network, but a special group of about 10-20 persons, mainly students, will be involved explicitly into the studies and carry out structured activities in order to achieve measurable results.

Network Overview

"Mobile Help Device" Application

This application features a portable audiovisual communication device for elderly or other people in need of care.

With the help of this device, the end user can at any time from any place within the own home establish an audiovisual connection to a number of predefined contact persons like the health care centre, the doctor, or equally equipped friends and relatives. The most important contact persons will be associated with programmable buttons on the device. In case that a chosen contact person is not equipped with full audiovisual capabilities but e. g. only with a normal telephone, the audio channel alone is used.

The help device itself is required to be portable, easy to use and to accomplish reasonable performances in audio and video quality. During the VisionAIR trial, the help device will be simulated by an appropriate combination of WLAN-enabled PDAs or mini-notebook computers, small cameras etc.

The concrete user group for this trial will consist of one of the many private or semi-private health care services in Bremen, a small number (about five) of its clients, and of one or two physicians caring for some of the clients.

Network Overview