Regional Queensland locus for quality of global communications

Written by Marc Barnbaum

Wednesday, 29 August 2007

Working from a control centre in Rockhampton, Jason Bell is the leader
of quality assurance for the burgeoning network of access grid
facilities throughout the world.

Mr Bell's leadership role has been recognised with one of only 3 'best

presentation' awards announced during the global access grid conference

in Chicago in May this year. The other awards went to presenters based

at University of Queensland and in the United States.

A copy of Mr Bell's presentation is here

<http://www.accessgrid.org/files/retreat07/presentations/bell.pdf>

Details on the conference are here <http://www.accessgrid.org/node/738>

Access grids are an emerging internet-based technology which enables

interaction between individuals and small groups who may be spread

anywhere in the world.

A global access grid node listing is here

<http://www.accessgrid.org/nodes>

Participants can not only see each other on multi-picture wall-size

screens - they can also share presentations including videos,

powerpoints, microscope slides and computer graphics.

Currently installed at 210 room sites around the world, the technology

lends itself to research collaborations but is being used for

cross-institutional teaching, virtual conferences and multi-site

organisational planning as well.

Mr Bell, of CQU, has developed a quality assurance system originally

devised for the United Kingdom into a truly global resource, which means

access grid users can ensure facilities have a guaranteed quality of

sound, visuals and potential for shared applications.

He not only does the QA testing from Rockhampton but is also training

and assessing a network of accredited QA representatives from other

countries.

CQU has access grid rooms at its campuses in Rockhampton, Gladstone and

Bundaberg. Another access grid room is being established at CQU Mackay.