This project will develop cost-effective broadband access technologies for remote and technologically challenged communities. The objective is to provide secure and reliable access to interactive multi-media information over legacy communication infrastructure that is universally available, thereby mitigating the digital divide among the technology haves and have-nots. In addition to outside communities, universities and high schools will directly benefit as these technologies can offset the usual inertia in changing the infrastructures to adapt to evolving technologies.
The project involves development in three areas:
1, Network access: The main deliverable from the project will be techniques to enable on- demand accumulation of bandwidth over all channels that are available for connectivity. From the user end this may involve collecting bandwidth from one or more PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Networks), lines or cellular connections. 2. Last mile information delivery: In order to enhance performance, we will explore novel compression techniques at the application layer. Further, intelligent caching and pre-fetch techniques will be developed at the server site based on usage profiles. 3. Security and reliability: For realistic commercial, financial, health-care related, or legal application, the network access should be highly secure and reliable. Provision of both security and reliability is further compounded by the heterogeneity of channels and the dynamic nature of the bandwidth accumulation process. Protocols will be developed to ensure acceptable levels of security and reliability without sacrificing gained performance.
The initial demonstration of the capabilities developed in the project involves setting up server sites in SMU and Paul Quinn campuses and deploying the client software to selected communities in Dallas metropolitan areas. Further, the technology will be made available to selected community colleges and high schools. Once the initial validation is completed, we will target a nation wide deployment of the technology with the help of other organizations such as state government offices, and rural development offices.
In this project SMU will partner with Paul Quinn College extending a longstanding relationship between these campuses. Further, we will collaborate with the federally funded Institute for Engineering Education at SMU to disseminate this technology to high schools all over the country.
