Net Results
An A for Alpha
Exploring From Every Angle
An A for Alpha
Eight months ago, IBM launched alphaWorks®, the source for cutting-edge
Internet research and technology that puts innovative ideas and applications in
their raw, early stages into the hands of users. The site takes a unique
approach; it challenges users to download and experiment with future
technologies, to collaborate with researchers (by providing feedback) and
ultimately to help shape next-generation Internet research. This innovative
concept has succeeded in numerical and commercial terms.
More than 300,000 individuals have visited the alphaWorks site to examine
the roughly 20 technologies that it has featured to date. Visitors have taken
more than 90,000 free downloads from the site, for examination and
experimentation. And a few technologies have already made the leap to the
market, as stand-alone products or components of commercial systems.
"I'm quite delighted with the alphaWorks idea, with the overall project
and with our success with it," says Stuart Feldman, manager of Internet
applications and services at the Thomas J. Watson Research Center. "It's
been a great route out for Research technologies. I give it an A grade."
Building on success
Now IBM's Research and Internet Divisions, which jointly administer
alphaWorks, are building on the initial success. The major new feature is a
completely new look for the site. The redesign, which appeared in late February,
was necessary to permit alphaWorks to grow and accommodate new technologies. "It
is intended to make the site an interesting, exciting user experience," says
Michael Weiner, manager of business and operations for alphaWorks at the
Internet Division.
The site is constantly being upgraded to include the latest updates of Lotus
Notes(TM) and Lotus's Domino(TM) applications, which Weiner regards as
a great tool for the site. Site designer Marni Borek says that the redesign
emphasizes aesthetics as well as architecture. "Our aim is to be the best
Domino site on the Web, adds Weiner. "To do so, we'll continue to use
alphaWorks technologies themselves on the site." Thus, various new video and
streaming technologies will demonstrate their own capabilities on alphaWorks
while simultaneously adding value to the site itself.
Site managers have recently incorporated two features promised in the
original prospectus. The first is community exchange. This online discussion
area permits the whole Internet community researchers and users to mull over
problems, such as downloading difficulties, and to suggest useful additions to
the system. "This is the centerpiece for building the community around the
technologies," says Weiner."It gets the creative juices flowing."
A significant component of the community exchange is a live chat session.
This allows potential customers and other interested parties to talk with the
IBM researchers who have developed specific technologies. It also makes
available thought leaders, from IBM and outside, to discuss the future of the
Internet and related technological issues.
Yet another new feature is a segment of the site devoted to "alpha graduates" -
technologies featured on the site that have made the leap into the market. "It
will describe the commercial outlets and how to get in touch with them," explains
Weiner.
Three prominent graduates came from the first alpha class: the six
technologies featured
on the original site. ShockAbsorber(TM), a router developed at Watson to
link servers of different size and to balance unpredictable traffic loads, has
been incorporated in Network Dispatcher, a commercial network dispatching
product offered by the Internet Division. Bamba, an audio- and video-streaming
technology developed at Watson and the Haifa Research Laboratory has become part
of IBM's VideoCharger video streaming product, first shipped in late
February. And NetRexx, a scripting language for writing Java(TM) applets
developed at IBM's Hursley Laboratory in the United Kingdom, has reached
the market as a 1.0 version.
As the next step in expanding alphaWorks, Weiner and his colleagues plan to
incorporate the first non-IBM technologies into the site. Largely for that
reason, the operation has relocated from New York state to Silicon Valley. The
large number of start-up companies and university research departments there,
explains Weiner, should provide a solid stream of new technologies for the site.
"Our goal is to make alphaWorks the best site on the Web for Internet technology,"
he adds.
For more information see: http://www.alphaWorks.ibm.com
Exploring From Every Angle
Imagine strolling around a virtual store in a computer monitor and picking
up items on sale to examine from every angle. Or sampling every seat in a
virtual stadium before reserving a ticket for a sports event. Or remotely
checking out a house, inside and out, prior to putting down an offer on it.
Those experiences and more are now possible through the medium of PanoramIX,
a technology developed at the Thomas J. Watson Research Center that permits
users to assemble images from several sources including photographs, renderings
from computer graphics and even hand-drawn sketches into seamless 360-degree
views. Creators of content can also convert the PanoramIX images into multimedia
experiences by integrating sound, animated images and hot links into them.
PanoramIX differs from conventional 3-D viewing technology in its resolution
(high rather than low) and movement (smooth rather than jerky) through the
virtual scenes. In addition, explains James Lipscomb, a member of the research
staff at Watson that developed the technology, PanoramIX does not require
browsers of sites to change screens as the user moves from, say, one virtual
room to the next. Many screenfuls of information are available simultaneously,
says Lipscomb.
Research and IBM's Internet Division are now seeking customers for the
technology, mainly through a site on IBM's alphaWorks that has already
drawn an average of 1,350 visitors per month. Will Morrison, program manager in
IBM's Internet Division, sees both internal and external possibilities for
PanoramIX. He has already had discussions with other IBM divisions and outside
vendors.
Major areas of potential application include the travel and retail sectors.
The technology has also attracted interest for use in healthcare presentations
and as a potential authoring tool for space on Web sites.
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