Tuesday, April 23, 2002

Researchers Propose Using Internet Video to Link 16 Public Spaces Around the World By JEFFREY R. YOUNG Researchers at the University of Toronto are working to link popular public spaces in 16 cities using Internet videoconferencing. The proposed project, called the Global Village Square, would place video cameras and large video screens in shopping malls, parks, and other locations, and allow passers-by to see their counterparts in other regions of the world. Kiosks with microphones and speakers would let people at the sites talk to others at kiosks in distant locations. The researchers aren't exactly sure what people will use these public communication portals for. In fact, the researchers plan to study the interactions that take place. "We throw around the idea of 'globalization' a lot these days, but there's very little opportunity for the average person to experience globalization on a very human scale," says Mark Federman, who is a chief strategist for the university's McLuhan Program in Culture and Technology, which is coordinating the project. The program focuses on analyzing and applying the work of Marshall McLuhan, who coined the phrase "global village" to describe a world linked by electronic media. One hope for the service is that it will allow people to see loved ones in other countries. "The Italian community here can show the new baby to the community back in Naples," says Mr. Federman. Although details of the project are still being worked out, researchers hope to install the first link -- between shopping malls in Toronto and Naples, Italy -- by the end of June. A videoconference brought officials from both locations together for a planning meeting last week. Over the next two years, the researchers hope to add similar connections in Buenos Aires; Cape Town; Los Angeles; Mexico City; Milan; Bombay; Nairobi, Kenya; Prague; Pyongyang, North Korea; Rio de Janeiro; Seoul, South Korea; Shanghai; Sydney, Australia; and Tokyo. The screen in each location will cycle through views of the other locations, with each city shown for a few minutes, so that a shopper who watched for an hour might see a virtual world tour. One undetermined issue is who will pay for the project, which could cost more than $3-million (U.S.). Mr. Federman says that the project is working on securing grants and possibly corporate sponsors. "It is a public service of a totally new kind," says Derrick de Kerckhove, director of the McLuhan Program, who adds that the project will serve as "an electronic park, joining instantly and hopefully forever" cities thousands of miles apart. Easy-to-print version E-mail this article

Colleges step up lobbying efforts against proposed intellectual-property legislation N.Y. governor favors allowing some illegal immigrants to pay cheaper tuition rates Federal officials and college presidents call on students to consider government work Ohio governor lifts financial oversight of Central State U. Montana State U. campus told to pay $261,000 over accident Britain faces serious shortage of researchers in hard sciences, report says Spring commencement speakers are announced by 14 colleges Researchers propose using Internet video to link 16 public spaces around the world Commonwealth nations back a plan for a virtual university to serve smaller states