inSORS News

March 20, 2003

London, UK --- inSORS Integrated Communications, Inc., a Chicago-based communications firm specializing in multipoint collaboration software technologies, and the London e-Science Centre (LeSC), affiliated with the Department of Computing at Imperial College London, have engaged in a collaboration that joins the LeSC's Access Grid node with the inSORS Grid Virtual Venue software platform.

This alliance will link LeSC Access Grid hardware with inSORS' software platform and enable LeSC to showcase the Access Grid's use of commercial software technology in enabling global collaborations within the e-Science community. The relationship also offers inSORS the opportunity to conduct inSORS Grid (IG) product demonstrations at the LeSC node.

"The alliance of the LeSC and inSORS is a positive sign of the accelerated nature of collaboration technologies," said Professor John Darlington, Director of the LeSC. "As a Centre dedicated to providing the very best scientific, engineering, and medical research infrastructure within the UK e-Science community, we are determined to use the best-of-breed tools whether from the research community or the commercial sector. This collaborative activity with a commercial grid provider represents an exciting evolution of the grid community."

The inSORS Grid platform-designed to allow multiple locations to interact as one large group-combines advanced distributed-computing technologies with inSORS' Virtual Venue software to connect geographically dispersed groups of people within virtual room environments. These dynamic and scalable environments accommodate simultaneous interaction among disparate sites, creating the effect of all participants being together in a single location.

Among the added features offered by the IG software are the efficiencies of commercial-class usability and functionality that include scheduling, recording, and playback capabilities. The IG also overcomes ease-of-use issues via a web page interface that allows push-button audio, video, and data-sharing communications among up to 30 locations.

The London e-Science Centre, which is a part of the UK's e-Science Core Technology program, runs a research and development program involving academia and industry and uses its Access Grid node as both a management and research tool. The Centre's wider objectives include promoting awareness of Grid and e-Science technologies and acting as a local source of advice and training in Grid and e-Science technologies.

The London inSORS Grid facility will be fully operational in mid-April. To schedule a demonstration, please contact Brian Gleason at bgleason@insors.com or call 312-786-9169.
For more about inSORS and the inSORS Grid, visit www.insors.com.

For more information about the Department of Computing, Imperial College London, and the London e-Science Centre, visit www.lesc.ic.ac.uk.