9724567 Sawchuk, Alexander McLeod, Dennis University of Southern California High Performance of Processors and Networks for Video Compression, Distributed Visualization, Database Systems and Collaborative Telepresence USC has received a Major Research Instrumentation award for the acquisition of processing hardware; a special purpose high-speed-resolution digital video storage and display hardware; and miscellaneous data communications hardware; for an Integrated Media Research Network (IMRN) to support research and training programs in high-performance multimedia, graphics, visualization, and database systems. Research projects to be supported include the generation, compression and transmission of real-time video over shared networks; processing of remote high resolution 3-D visualization and computation-intensive graphics; robust distribution and networking of interactive multimedia data within a heterogeneous distributed computing environment; distributed database management techniques for video and audio servers; and utilization of multiprocessor computers for collaborative telepresence over long physical distances. Besides making the enhanced facilities available to students pursuing research in high-performance graphics, visualization and database systems, USC plans to connect the IMRN to the Institution's School of Engineering's Instructional Television network which supports two-way live interactive broadcasts of regular credit courses from engineering, computer science and mathematics. It is envisaged that this connection will allow students to work on research projects anywhere on the main campus, medical school campus and USC's Information Sciences Institute and will allow classroom demonstrations over these locations as well as the local Los Angeles area. Research results on database management for video data and distance learning will contribute directly to these distance learning activities.
