Black Sea Research Expedition Streamed Live to the World with VBXcast from VBrick Systems.Business Editors/High-Tech Writers MYSTIC, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 6, 2003 Award-Winning Networked Video Appliance Brings Unprecedented Access to Live Video from Deep-Sea Research Expedition When legendary deep-sea explorer Dr. Robert Ballard Robert Duane Ballard, Ph.D., (born June 30, 1942 in Wichita, Kansas) is an oceanographer most noted for his work in underwater archaeology. He is most famous for the discoveries of the wrecks of the RMS Titanic in 1985, the battleship Bismarck , president of the Institute for Exploration at Mystic Aquarium and an Explorer-in-Residence at National Geographic, investigates ancient deep-sea shipwrecks This list of shipwrecks is of those ships whose have been located. Africa East Africa
VBrick Systems is helping to implement the vision Ballard first described more than 20 years ago in National Geographic magazine The National Geographic Magazine, later shortened to National Geographic, is the official journal of the National Geographic Society. It published its first issue in 1888, just nine months after the Society itself was founded. . "One of this mission's goals is to extend the reach of scientific exploration to researchers who cannot be with us on the boat, and to enable the public to witness these wonderful discoveries live," said Dr. Ballard. Oceanographic research is a difficult and expensive proposition, and scientists can spend their careers without ever setting foot on a research ship. Through video "virtual presence", students and researchers around the world can now witness the amazing undersea discoveries with virtually the same clarity as those on board the ship. This virtual presence allows more scientists to engage in the projects and will also help to preserve these underwater treasures by reducing the need for multiple expeditions to the same site. Like expeditions to the moon and planets, the live video is truly compelling and allows the general public to witness discoveries in real time. Dr. Ballard and teams from the Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration and University of Rhode Island's Institute for Archaeological Oceanography oceanography, study of the seas and oceans. The major divisions of oceanography include the geological study of the ocean floor (see plate tectonics) and features; physical oceanography, which is concerned with the physical attributes of the ocean water, such as will explore ancient shipwrecks in the Black Sea and the eastern Mediterranean, including the previously discovered "Wreck D." Dating from the Byzantine-era, Wreck D is buried in mud at the bottom of the Black Sea and is believed to be the best-preserved ship from the ancient world ever found. An unmanned undersea vehicle called Hercules, which is capable of delicate sea-bottom excavation, will be deployed and controlled by a pilot onboard the ship at the surface. As Hercules traverses the bottom of the sea floor, the team will send real-time video via an EDS (Electronic Data Systems, Plano, TX, www.eds.com) Founded in 1962 by H. Ross Perot (independent candidate for the President of the U.S. in 1992), EDS is the largest outsourcing and data processing services organization in the country. provided video and satellite network to the Innerspace Center, a type of "mission control" at the University of Rhode Island's (URI Uri, in the Bible Uri (y  `rī), in the Bible.1 Father of Bezaleel (1.) 2 Father of Geber (2.) 3 Porter. ) Graduate School of Oceanography. A VBXcast appliance residing at URI then simultaneously encodes the video into high bandwidth MPEG-2 video and the lower bandwidth MPEG-4 video. The MPEG-2 video is sent via IP multicast A one-to-many transmission of data over an IP network. It is used for a myriad of purposes including updating routers, announcing and discovering services and streaming media. IP multicast saves network bandwidth, because packets are transmitted as one stream over the backbone and only on the Internet2, an advanced high-speed digital network that interconnects more than 200 universities and other organizations. Educational institutions equipped with Internet2 access and VBrick's free StreamPlayer software or a VBrick decoder can witness the discoveries as they are being made in the Black Sea and Mediterranean. Since these broadcasts use MPEG-2 technology, the live video is DVD-quality. The MPEG-4 video is streamed from the VBXcast over the public Internet at the expedition's site, where the live footage can be accessed and viewed by anyone with an Internet connection. The video is delivered by the VBXcast in both "broadband" and "dialup" formats. Thus, scientists and scholars from around the world can share the rich experience of a deep sea expedition through live sight and sound at the click of a mouse. "This expedition will be truly groundbreaking not only for its scientific and historic discoveries, but also for the unprecedented access that the world will have. It will be the largest live audience for any underwater sea exploration, and, more importantly, it will further the mission of bringing the wonder of science directly to students worldwide," said Richard Mavrogeanes, Founder and Chief Technology Officer of VBrick Systems, Inc. "It also goes to the heart of what VBrick is about - easily and affordably extending the reach of video communications to anyone, anywhere, at anytime." VBXcast is uniquely able to address the video needs of this first-of-its-kind project. VBXcast is a portable network video appliance that connects easily to standard video devices such as a video camera, DVD player A stand-alone device that plays DVDs. It contains a DVD drive and the electronics to decode the digital video. The device may play only manufactured DVDs, or it may be able to play DVD-R, DVD-RW and DVD+RW discs. DVD players are cabled to a TV or home theater system for display. or VCR VCR: see videocassette recorder. VCR in full videocassette recorder Electromechanical device that records, stores on a videotape cassette, and plays back on a TV set recorded images and sound. . It compresses the video and audio into an MPEG-4 format and delivers the stream over any network to PCs or set-top boxes. MPEG-4 uses bandwidth more effectively, allowing it to extend the reach of visual communication to everyone with Internet access See how to access the Internet. . VBXcast is easy to use and is a good network citizen. Coupled with MPEG-2 encoding capability, the VBXcast used by the Immersion Project - which is a live interactive exploration project developed by Mystic Aquarium & Immersion Institute - is a powerful tool for bringing the power of live sight and sound to the world. Sponsors of this year's expedition include the National Geographic Society National Geographic Society U.S. scientific society founded in 1888 in Washington, D.C., by a small group of eminent explorers and scientists “for the increase and diffusion of geographic knowledge. , National Science Foundation, NOAA's Office of Ocean Exploration, Shelby White/Leon Levy Expeditions and the U.S. Office of Naval Research The U.S. Office of Naval Research (ONR), headquartered in Arlington, Virginia (Ballston), is the office within the U.S. Department of the Navy that coordinates, executes, and promotes the science and technology programs of the U.S. . About VBrick Systems, Inc. VBrick Systems, Inc. manufactures simple, reliable video solutions that enhance communications and reduce costs for organizations large and small. VBrick enables enterprises to benefit from high quality visual communications through networked video appliances. VBrick MPEG (Moving Pictures Experts Group) An ISO/ITU standard for compressing digital video. Pronounced "em-peg," it is the universal standard for digital terrestrial, cable and satellite TV, DVDs and digital video recorders (DVRs). video solutions provide the simplest and most dependable visual communications to businesses, educational institutions and government agencies ranging in use from distributing news and information and distance learning to training and surveillance. Based in Wallingford, Connecticut Wallingford is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 43,026 at the 2000 census. History Wallingford was established on October 10, 1667, when the Connecticut General Assembly authorized the "making of a village on the east river" to , USA, VBrick Systems' products are distributed through industry-leading value-added resellers, system integrators and distributors. Find out more at www.VBrick.com. About Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration is a non-profit organization A non-profit organization (abbreviated "NPO", also "non-profit" or "not-for-profit") is a legally constituted organization whose primary objective is to support or to actively engage in activities of public or private interest without any commercial or monetary profit purposes. . Proceeds go to the development and execution of educational programs, marine research, marine rescue and releases, and expeditions. For additional information on Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration please visit http://www.mysticaquarium.org/ |
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