This Small Business Innovative Research Phase I project will develop software tools to allow researchers in ongoing scientific projects and collaborations to use the World Wide Web (WWW) and the Internet for displaying and distributing dynamic data which is typical for scientific work. The project has two goals: first, the development of a prototype toolkit providing a reasonable subset of the full functionality envisioned in the final product. This includes both server and client side tools including a data server, a text-based discussion tool, and several scientific graphics tools sufficient to clearly demonstrate the feasibility of the final product. Second, the testing of these tools on a few ongoing scientific projects by making the toolkit available to a few volunteers who will use it in their work using the tools from this project, even individual researchers will be able to develop robust Web pages including automatic data updating, manipulation of data, whiteboards, both audio and text discussion areas, video monitors, database access, controlled public access, and more. Presently only large scientific organizations have the resources to advantage of the WWW in this way. This project will provide a general set of tools that can be manipulated 'visually' in a standard graphical development environment. These tools, directed at the needs of scientists, will comprise our product: the remote visualization and communication toolkit (RVCT). The remote visualization and communication toolkit has wide applicability in the scientific community. Potential customers for the RVCT include large and small scientific research groups in universities, government laboratories, and industry. The increase in use of the World Wide Web by scientists will enhance the need for this type of product.
