Year : 2018-2019
Funding source: Switzerland University Network
Project Leader: Prof Dr Fariba Moghaddam
Swiss Partners:
HES-SO/Valais – University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland, Prof Dr Fariba Moghaddam
École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Dr Denis Gillet and Dr Christophe Salzmann
South partners :
Dr Amir Abolfazl Suratgar, Amirkabir University of Technology, Iran, Dr Qobad Shafiee, University of Kurdistan, Iran, Dr Nomaou Dan Lamso, Université de Abdou Moumouni (UAM), Niger, Dr Samer Saab, Lebanese American University, Lebanon, Dr Hassan Ali Barkad, Université de Djibouti, Djibouti, Dr Hamadou Saliah-Hassane, Associate Professor, University Abdou Moumouni, Niger and Hassane Alzouma Mayaki, Researcher,  Université Abdou Moumouni, Niger

Summary of the Project : 
“Massive Open Online Laboratories is a collaborative project with the aim of sharing the expertise and infrastructures of “EPFL: Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne” and “HES-SO: University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland” in digital education with online labs with several institutions from the global south: Iran, Niger, Lebanon and Djibouti.

In engineering education, laboratories represent an important academic resource as they provide practical training in addition to the fundamental theories. However, the acquisition of new machinery and the maintenance of the equipment imply a large investment that only a limited number of universities can afford. Remote laboratories allow students and educators to interact with real laboratory equipment located anywhere in the world, at any time. Consequently, the global south countries with limited funds for education resources can take best advantage of them. Remote laboratories offer excellent alternatives to southern countries as they may run through modern telecommunication technologies to enhance experimental learning and teaching objectives along with sharing remote infrastructures”.

Results published in a team’s paper: 
Moghaddam et al., Massive Open Online Labs (MOOLs): An Innovative Solution to Achieving SDGs in the Global South 2019 5th Experiment International Conference (exp.at’19), Funchal, Portugal, 2019, pp. 394-398, doi: 10.1109/EXPAT.2019.8876540.

Some of our presentations on MOOLS:
Open Online Laboratories – Les laboratoires universels ouverts et en ligne and
H. Saliah-Hassane and A. Reuzeau,  » Mobile open online laboratories: A way towards connectionist massive online laboratories with x-API (c-MOOLs),  » 2014 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE) Proceedings, Madrid, Spain, 2014, pp. 1-7, doi: 10.1109/FIE.2014.7044172.

Year : 2010-2012
Funding source: FODAR – University of Quebec Fund
Team:
Leader : Hamadou Saliah-Hassane, TELUQ University
Researchers and associates:  Vahé Nerguizian, Professor,  École de Technologie Supérieur (ÉTS), Radhi Mhiri, Project Manager, École de Technologie Supérieur (ÉTS), Hamdjatou Kane, Professor, University of Quebec in Outtawais (UQO), Professor Jean-Sébastien Deschênes, University of Quebec in Trois Rivières (UQR), Moustapha Dodo Amadou, Lecturer, École de Technologie Supérieur (ÉTS), Maarouf Saad, Professor, École de Technologie Supérieur (ÉTS).

Based on Lab@home Concept, the project was funded by the University of Quebec (FODAR 2010-2012); Component 1: Strategic actions in training and research. Its objective is to develop distance learning models for science and engineering courses including laboratory work based on active pedagogical approaches using, among others, the problem-based and project-based approach. The techno-pedagogical model of the project is based on previous research on home laboratories or “Lab@home” in the era of cloud computing and miniature measuring instruments. The “Lab@home” model was first developed and tested at the L@d (Laboratoire à distance) of the Telé-université – Université du Québec. 

Results: Detailed results including the international publications can be found in the final report at : Travaux de laboratoire à distance (T-Lad) [r-libre/907] – Remote laboratory work
Article préliminaire publié sur les Lab@home: https://r-libre.teluq.ca/1048/
Saliah-Hassane, Hamadou; Saad, Maarouf; Ofosu, Willie K.; Karimou, Djibo; Mayaki Alzouma, Hassane et Dodo Amadou, Moustapha (2011). Lab@Home: Remote Laboratory Evolution in the Cloud Computing Era. Dans Proceedings of the 2011 American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference & Exposition (p. 22.995.1-22.995.13). Vancouver, BC, Canada : American Society for Engineering Education. [r-libre/1048]

Year : 2005-2008
Funding source: LORNET Project
Team:
Leader as a Canadian associate partner in academia: Hamadou Saliah-Hassane
Researchers and associates:  Prof. Maarouf Saad, Dr. Ileana de Teja, Prof. Djamal Benslimane (IUT Lyon), Denis Gillet
Students: Mohamed Mhamdi (PhD), Abdallah Kourri (PhD), Elie Maalouf (M.Sc.A), Joe Sfeir (M.Sc.A.), Colombiano Kedowide (M.Sc.A), Bouchaib Fattouh (M.Sc.A).
Brief description of the project
Global Mission: ProLearn’s “mission is to bring together the most important research groups in the area of professional learning and training, as well as other key organizations and industrial partners, thus bridging the currently existing gap between research and education at universities and similar organizations and training and continuous education that is provided for and within companies”.

Work Package 3: “WP03 provides a web-based catalogue with a special metadata scheme the “Metadata for Online Experiments”. This scheme supports an easier access to existing online experiments with the help of an integrated technical framework for online experiments and a web-accessible knowledge base. This allows educators, experiment developers and educational researchers to locate online experiments of interest and to obtain technical information for building their own lab or obtain scientific articles on educational evaluations. The main contributions are also published in a joint publication as groundwork on online experiments for educational purposes”.

Person in charge : Hamadou Saliah-Hassane
Team : Racha Ben Ali, Jean-Baptiste Raymond
Amount for these components: 380 000 $

Year : 2004-2005
Funding source: CANARIE
Total Project Amount: 500 000 $
BEST Project Team: Excerpt from the project submission package:
– Leaders: 

• Jacqueline Bourdeau, Project Director, LICEF, TÉLUQ, responsible for the generic doctoral training environment (EFD) and the optical link installation and testing module (INTELO); 
• France Henri, LICEF, TÉLUQ, director of the doctoral program in cognitive computing (DIC), responsible for the specific doctoral training environment (EFDIC); 
• Hamadou Saliah-Hassane, professor-researcher, LICEF, TÉLUQ, in charge of the virtual laboratory component (LAB@DER);
• Aude Dufresne, professor-researcher, CIRTA, U. of Montreal, in charge of the LORIT remote control component (LORIT@D); 
• Abdulmotaleb El Saddik, Research Professor, responsible for 3D applications enabling actor-based environment specification and multimedia collaboration in DTS, responsible for linkage testing at the University of Ottawa;
• Brian Fisher, Research Professor, involved in DTS development, responsible for user interface development, responsible for LORIT remote controller testing, responsible for linkage testing at University of British Columbia (UBC).

– Associates : 

• Josianne Basque, Richard Hotte, Olga Marino, Gilbert Paquette, Claude Ricciardi Rigault (LICEF, TÉLUQ), André-Jacques Deschênes (GIREFAD, TÉLUQ); Samuel Pierre (CIRTA, École Polytechnique)

– Major subcontractors: 

• RISQ and Michel Roy, consultant specialized in international R&D projects in the field of networks.

– Foreign partners : 

• in Switzerland, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EFPL), Denis Gillet, researcher and partner in the European project Prolearn; 
• in Holland, Universiteit Twente, Wouter van Joolingen, researcher and partner in the European project Kaleidoscope;
• in Norway, the Intermedia Laboratory (Sten Ludvigsen, Universitet I Oslo and Barbara Wasson, Universitet I Bergen), partners in the European project Kaleidoscope.

Brief description of the project: Excerpt from the project submitted by our team to CANARIE :

“The BEST project innovates by offering: 

• an integrated and generic distance learning environment for doctoral training, with tools for discipline and program specialization
• a multi-actor environment for doctoral studies, based on a fine-grained cognitive analysis;
• a range of high-performance services, thanks to optical links, which qualify this environment for cutting-edge scientific work according to the needs of a competitive research team in close contact with its international scientific community;
• immersion of students in a scientific community and exchanges with the corresponding professional community of practice (health, computer science, etc.);
• integration of international standards for learning objects and use of the Canadian eduSource platform developed through CANARIE.

The implementation of the project consists of six activity modules, not including the project management, animation and coordination of team members, and support for the dissemination of results.  These are the following:

1. Design and development of a generic doctoral tele-training (DTE) environment: analysis and modeling of actors, operations and resources common to most doctoral programs.  Development of a suite of tools to specialize a multi-actor tele-training environment and to provide lightpath services;

2. Design and development of an instantiated doctoral tele-training environment for the Ph.D. program in Cognitive Computing (DIC) of the TÉLUQ (EFDIC): analysis and modeling of the actors, operations and resources specific to the DIC. Instantiation of services, based on the generic tool suite developed in 1.

3. Design and development of distributed laboratory instrumentation (LAB@DER): modeling and development of a laboratory brokerage system for high performance computing.

4. Installation and testing of optical links (INTELO): installation of optical link equipment (lightpath) between TÉLUQ, RISQ (Réseau d’Information Scientifique du Québec) and CA*net4 to the University of Ottawa and UBC, through ORION (Ontario Research and Innovation Optical Network)/ORANO (Optical Regional Advanced Network of Ontario) and BCnet.  Conducted a series of tests (technical and application), coordinated by RISQ, with the University of Ottawa and UBC, as well as a series of tests with three sites in Europe.

5. Remote control of LORIT (LORIT@D): analysis, specifications, programming of a new controller allowing the remote control of LORIT equipment; remote tests from UBC.

6. Production and dissemination of results (PROD): production of consolidated results obtained during development and testing (software and networks); production of detailed documentation and dissemination on the project’s website and those of the partners; presentation at the annual CANARIE conference in 2005 and 2006.

Component 3. Design and development of an instrumentation specific to distributed laboratories (LAB@DER): modeling and development of a laboratory brokerage system for high performance computing.
Person in charge: Prof. Hamadou Saliah-Hassane
Team: Colombiano Kedowide (Research Professional), Bouchaib Fattouh (Research Professional), Solomon Squire (LabVIEW Programmer), Moustapha Dodo Amadou (Postdoctoral Fellow), Alassane Diop (Postdoctoral Fellow).

Amount: 40 000$    
I was one of the principal investigators from the beginning of the project. The team I led, essentially composed of my graduate students and my two postdoctoral fellows, actively and successfully contributed to the third part of the project entitled “Design and development of distributed laboratory instrumentation (LAB@DER): modeling and development of a laboratory brokerage system for high performance computing”, from the letter of intent to the realization of certain tests made possible by the availability of the network and the level of collaboration of the researchers involved.  I was personally invited to present our achievements in this area in several forums.  The work carried out is the logical continuation of the CFI infrastructure grant that I obtained in 2003. The participation in this project gave us another opportunity to improve the presentation of our demonstration facilities of the online laboratory concept.

Year : 2004-2007
Funding source: Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI)
Total amount : 4.9 M $
Team:
Leader : Bourdeau Jacqueline (TELUQ-UQAM)
Principal investigators: Basque Josianne (TELUQ-UQAM); Doré Sylvie (ETS); Dufresne Aude (Université de Montréal); Gagné, Pierre (TELUQ-UQAM); Henri France (TELUQ-UQAM); Nkambou, Roger, Paquette Gilbert (TELUQ-UQAM); Saliah-Hassane Hamadou (TELUQ-UQAM); Tremblay Diane-Gabrielle (TELUQ-UQAM).
Brief description of the project: Adapted extract from the submitted project:
This is a large-scale project for an infrastructure designed to support research structured around the following 5 axes: intelligence, telepresence, transparency, relevance and efficiency.

1. Intelligence. This is work in cognitive computing that will be carried out: a) by LICEF-CIRTA in connection with the LORNET network, b) at GDAC-UQAM. The work of the LICEF-CIRTA concerns cognitive modeling, knowledge management, environment architecture, interoperable directories, and intelligent educational objects.

The work of the GDAC focuses on the architecture of intelligent tutorial systems, intelligent agents and multi-agent platforms for human learning. The infrastructure for this axis consists of basic equipment (workstation, server, network, software, database, peripherals) for each team, including students and assistants. 

2. Telepresence. Telepresence is a key element in the creation and life cycle of a virtual community. Different forms of telepresence will be explored and experimented in situ, mainly three video communication solutions: inter-individual conversation with a low bandwidth software desktop solution, shared teamwork space with an interactive board (Smartboard), and a full-scale telepresence wall (France Telecom) that will be installed on the two Télé-université sites; finally, mobile learning solutions will also be explored (France Telecom’s E-conf). The infrastructure for this axis consists of specialized equipment and includes:

• a full-scale telepresence wall (scale 1), spatialized sound, and simulated eye contact. This experimental device provided by France Telecom R&D includes a series of patents and will be installed by a team of France Telecom engineers, followed by a remote presence help desk;
• a high-definition solution in two stages: for the first generation, a solution provided by the company Miranda Systems from a converted analog signal; for the second, a complete high-definition solution (to be specified);
• Smartboard interactive boards;
• a wireless network.

3. Transparency. A high-level interface will provide users with “transparent” access to the services of the interactive environment. This work is in the area of human-computer interfaces and cognitive ergonomics and will be undertaken by LICEF-CIRTA in conjunction with other institutions, including UBC and U. Ottawa. The infrastructure for this axis consists of a set of computer stations interconnected by a dedicated high-speed network between the main users, and access to CAnet4 for the other institutions.

4. Relevance. This is the testing that will be conducted with user communities: a) the Canadian Institute for Health Informatics Research by the LICEFCIRTA with the CRED of the U. Sherbrooke, b) the ECOGÈNE-21 community in community genomics, c) the Doctorate in Cognitive Informatics of the UQAM-TELUQ, d) the MENTOR program in health by the ETS, e) the faculty initiative centers of the LABTIC and the doctorate programs in Management Sciences. The infrastructure for this axis consists of a set of computer stations interconnected by a dedicated high-speed network between the main users, and access via CAnet4 for the other institutions.

5. Efficiency. The developments and experiments of the project require a guaranteed high bandwidth, in order to ensure thresholds of: 1) 90ms for the image, 2) 2 to 20ms for the signal for robotic telephony.  A dedicated network (RISQ sub-network) will connect the project teams with a guaranteed bandwidth of 1 Gig/sec, managed by the project team. The necessary equipment (routers, multiplexers) are part of the infrastructure. The technical expertise for the acquisition and installation is provided by RISQ, as well as the training of the technical staff. This is the telecommunications network that will support and link the teams together, forming a dedicated sub-network with guaranteed bandwidth and managed by the project team.

Year : 2003-2008
Funding Source: NSERC Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council- Research Networks Program.
Amounts : Total for LORNET: $7.5M –Amount for Theme 2 allocated : 1,4 M $ Amount for Sub-theme 2.2 under my responsibility: $150,000
Source: Prof. Gilbert Paquette, Director of the LORNET network (Oct. 12, 08)
Brief description of the project
Our team participate in the research on two sub-themes of theme 2, “Design and Aggregation of Learning Objects”.
Theme 2: Design and aggregation of learning objects
Person in charge of the theme: Gilbert Paquette
Principal Investigators: Jacqueline Bourdeau, Aude Dufresne, Olga Marino, Gilbert Paquette, Hamadou Saliah-Hassane, Richard Hotte
Research architect: Ioan Rosca
Associate researchers: Ileana De la Teja, Karin Lundgren-Cayrol
Students: Anne Brisebois (Ph.D.), Julien Contamines (Ph.D.), Valéry Psyché (Ph.D.), Delia Rogozan (Ph.D.), Colombiano Kedowide (M.Sc.), Bouchaïb Fattouh (M.Sc.), Mohamed Rouatbi (Ph.D.), Emmanuelle Villot-Leclerc (Ph.D.), Florian Pontus (Ph.D.), Fethi Guerdelli (M.Sc)
Vision

• Learning objects only become meaningful through a plan of instructional activities, scenarios and delivery models. 
• Learning object dissemination models must incorporate a representation of the knowledge of actors, events, resources and their interactions. 
• Dynamic aggregation models provide multi-actor interfaces and support for their interactions. 

Research areas

• Design a set of addressable elementary functions as a basis for educational modeling languages. 
• Flow models for multi-actor interactions. 
• Knowledge representation of actors, events and resources. 
• Assistance adapted to the roles of the actors working in a learning environment.  

Sub-theme 2.2: Design and aggregation of learning objects
Project leader: Dr Hamadou Saliah-Hassane
Researchers and associates:  Prof. Maarouf Saad, Dr. Ileana de Teja, Prof. Djamal Benslimane (IUT Lyon)
Students: Mohamed Mhamdi (PhD), Abdallah Kourri (PhD), Elie Maalouf (M.Sc.A), Joe Sfeir (M.Sc.A.), Colombiano Kedowide (M.Sc.A), Bouchaib Fattouh (M.Sc.A).
Project 2.2 focuses on the aggregation and control of distributed dynamic learning objects through computer networks, such as those used in online laboratories including virtual laboratories and distributed interactive simulations. The research work unquestionably contributes to the support of dynamic learning activities. 
Project 2.5 focuses on the aspects described above with the objective of integrating all sub-themes 2. The contribution of my team allowed the other teams of theme 2 to validate their models using, as objects, the interfaces of the real delocalized devices installed in my laboratory (The Lab@DER). 
Papers published: 

1. Saliah-Hassane, A., Khourry, & I de laTeja,« Building a Repository for Online Laboratory Learning Scenarios« ; Frontiers in Engineering Education Conference, FIE2006, San Diego, CA, USA.

Masmoudi, A., Paquette, G., Saliah-Hassane, H., & Champagne, R. (2006, May). Développement d’un scénario de laboratoire en ligne par une agrégation de composants logiciels basée sur les ontologies. In The 3rd International Symposium on Distance Education, Tunisia.

Year : 2003-2008
Funding Source: Canada Foundation for Innovation
Amount: $211.000
Brief description of the project
The emergence of technological means of interconnecting computer networks has led to a growing demand for the operation of distributed telemetry, remote monitoring or remote control systems. These systems have a strong potential of applications in many domains such as e-learning and collaborative work of delocalized teams. This research program deals with the modeling of a tele-lab brokerage system for teaching and research. More specifically, it focuses on the adaptive and user-friendly interfaces required by actors in tele-lab environments depending on the role each of them has to play during a session of practical activities. These interfaces make it possible to put at the disposal of each actor, remotely or locally, the tools and/or the real equipment that he will have to use, alone or in collaboration, by accessing them virtually.  The objectives of the work are to: a) propose scenario models and tools to build distributed user interfaces that meet the norms and standards on learning objects; b) propose mechanisms to store, find and retrieve interfaces, interoperable resources and learning objects; c) propose a management model that will allow the sharing of human and material resources between institutions. In the context of an inter-institutional tele-laboratory environment, this management and organization of practical work sessions cannot be done in a real context without using a tele-assistance system as well as optimization and operational research methods that allow planning, just-in-time resource allocation, and synchronous task organization and management based on pedagogical scenarios.

In this project, I contributed to the development of applications to feed an interoperable resource bank, with the collaboration of Prof. Marc Couture and Prof. Samuel Pierre from École Polytechnique.
Year: 2001-2005
Funding source: Valorisation-Recherche Québec
Total project amount: $600,000
Team
Team leader: Prof. Gilbert Paquette. Component 1 of the DIVA project is subdivided into 3 sub-projects, whose leaders are :

• Jacqueline Bourdeau: Project 1.1, Quality process for distance learning environments;
• Aude Dufresne: Project 1.2, Development of an interoperable resource bank;
• Hamadou Saliah-Hassane and Marc Couture, Subproject 1.2: Construction of an interoperable resource bank of telelaboratory components and synchronous and asynchronous communication tools;
• France Henri: Project 1.3, Construction of a knowledge base on distance learning

Brief description of the project
Quote from Prof. Samuel Pierre, Senior Project Coordinator:
“The DIVA project has brought together in a network researchers from four major Quebec research and development groups in training and learning technologies, researchers who previously had few links between them. The result is a high-calibre multidisciplinary research synergy and a coordinated way of working on the design of technology-based training models, methods and tools.”
Component: Project 1.2 – Development of an interoperable resource bank;
Team:
Leader : Aude Dufresne
Members: Hamadou Saliah-Hassane; Marc Couture, Samuel Pierre: Sub-project 1.2: Construction of an interoperable resource bank of tele-laboratory components and synchronous and asynchronous communication tools;
Amount our contribution: $22,000
In the framework of this project, our team contributed to the sub-project 1.2 to develop interfaces for access to remote scientific instruments. With our students collaborating in the project and we published the following papers.  The participation to this project allowed the financing of two graduate students.
Abari, Ilior; Pierre, Samuel et Saliah-Hassane, Hamadou (2006). Laboratory E-Notebooks : A Learning Object-Based Repository. Journal of STEM Education : Innovations and Research, 7 (1-2), 15-23. 

1. H. Saliah-Hassane, Ilior Abari, S. Pierre,Cahiers électroniques de laboratoires : Un répertoire basé sur les objets d’apprentissage. 72e congrès de l’ACFAS, session C-604 Développement, intégration et évaluation des technologies de formation et d’apprentissage (DIVA) (colloque) Montréal, 10-14 mai 2004;
2. D. Amadou, H. Saliah-Hassane, M. Saad,Les laboratoires dans les cours de génie via le réseau Internet. 72e congrès de l’ACFAS, session C-658 Gestion, innovation et technologie de l’information (colloque), Montréal, 10-14 mai 2004;
3. Fils, H. Saliah-Hassane,Modélisation d’un système d’apprentissage en collaboration basé sur un cahier de laboratoire interactif partagé par la méthode MISA.  72e congrès de l’ACFAS, session C-658 Gestion, innovation et technologie de l’information (colloque), Montréal, 10-14 mai 2004;

C. Kedowide, H. Saliah-Hassane, Mise au point d’un cahier de laboratoire partagé pour l’apprentissage collaboratif en ligne. 72e congrès de l’ACFAS, session C-658 Gestion, innovation et technologie de l’information (colloque), Montréal, 10-14 mai 2004;

Year : 1999-2009
Funding source: Quebec University Network’s Foundation (FODAR), Canada Foundation for Innovation, Ministry of Education of Quebec (MÉQ)
Team
Dr. Mohamed Cheriet (École de Technologie Supérieure); Dr. Mohamed Kamel (University of Waterloo); Dr. Hamadou Saliah-Hassane (TELUQ-UQAM), Dr. Chin Suen (Concordia University), Prof. Louis Villardier (TELUQ-UQAM), Dr. Maarouf Saad (École de Technologie Supérieure). 
Setting the context
The Synchromedia Consortium includes experienced pan-Canadian researchers from ÉTS, TELUQ University, UQÀM, Concordia University and Waterloo University, working together to implement an intelligent collaborative telepresence work environment.
Since its inception in 1999-2000, the Synchromedia project has remained focused on its fundamental objectives:

• to take advantage, for distance learning, of the advances in synchronous and multipoint video communication;
• promote the development of telepresence for collaborative learning and work;
• develop a mediatization methodology that integrates synchronous and asynchronous modes of multimedia communication;
• To make the entire training program of the ÉTI and possibly of other UQ institutions accessible in the regions of Quebec; 
• to progressively offer professors and students of the Université du Québec, access to new media tools, as soon as the development of the Synchromedia system and the broadcasting infrastructure allow it.

Stages of Development & Mission of Synchromedia

From the beginning of the Synchromedia project to the present day, we can identify a perspective of achieving the fundamental objectives in 4 main stages of development:

1. a) Stage 1: (1999-2000) Design, prototyping and experimentation of the Synchromedia system;

• FODAR funding: $75,000
• Achievements: analysis, system specifications and evaluation of existing systems; prototypes of the Synchromedia platform; prototypes of the virtual laboratory.

1. b) Step 2: (2001-2002) Development of the Synchromedia system;

• FODAR funding: $150,000: (2 X $75,000)
• MEQ funding: $185,000
• Achievements: development of the Synchromedia interface; development of the Hypermedia network (virtual private network); development of a functional prototype of the Synchromedia system; partnerships with private enterprise (Bell Canada, Quazal).

1. c) Phase 3: (2002-2003) Development of the Synchromedia system; FODAR funding: $100,700

• Achievements: development of prototypes of the Synchromedia software platform; implementation of an experimental vpn (virtual private network) type network; acquisition and implementation of a videoconference bridge at the heart of the UQ network, in partnership with the CSC (Centre de services communs); extension of high-speed Internet links, partnerships with private enterprise (Bell Canada, Quazal)

1. d) Step 4: (2005-2009) Development of the Synchromedia system infrastructure;

• Funding: CFI and private partners: $3.7 million
• Achievements: development at ÉTS, TÉLUQ, UQAM, Concordia and Waterloo of LabNetwork, an infrastructure of telematic laboratories integrated to a high-speed network;
• Integration of researchers from Concordia and Waterloo into the Synchromedia team;
• Multidisciplinary development of the research theme in the following areas:
  • Intelligent cooperative systems; intelligent handwriting recognition systems; visualization and interaction interfaces with force feedback; virtual laboratory and telelaboratories; telepresence; usage evaluation of networked collaborative work tools and QoS.

These various research areas are called upon to contribute to the emergence of multimodal perceptual, i.e., new dimensions of information transmissible by broadband telecommunications that open up vast avenues of research aimed at integrating multisensory interfaces with multiple interaction networks. The development of multimodal interfaces, giving access to these new modes of perception and interaction, is likely to significantly enrich and improve research and collaborative work.

Team: All the members of my teams mentioned in the projects
LORNET, BEST, SCORE, SYNCHROMEDIA 

Total amount TELUQ : 433 198 $

Amount TELUQ Lab@DER: 91 400 $

In this project, I am the coordinator of the Virtual Labs component. My contribution has been to:

• Participate, in collaboration with a small team of researchers, in the preparation of the grant application.
• Coordinate the work of the tele-laboratory environment research team;
• Participate in the analysis and design of the computer interface (platform) that supports the synchronous and asynchronous modes of communication of multimedia communication as defined by the project;
• Supervise engineering students and graduate students collaborating on the project.

Still within the same framework of the Synchromedia team’s work, the Télé présentiel project aims to respond just in time to the need for advanced training in information technology, therefore it is expected to increase the number of graduates of the ETI’s DESS program and its Master’s degree in information technology. 

My involvement in this project was on three levels:

• I contributed, in collaboration with a small group of teacher-researchers, to the design of the grant application submitted to the Quebec Ministry of Education.
•   I am the coordinator of the virtual laboratory component.
•   I participate in the analysis and development of the global interface of the IT environment on which the project is based.

Results: Co-supervision of graduate students involved in research in the field of interest of our team members.  A patent application has been filed by the initial team, of which I am a member, for a collaborative work system (System for supporting collaborative work). The publication number is: WO/2008/043182.

Year : 1997-1999
Funding source: CANARIE
Amount: $128,833 (of which $60,000 is my responsibility)
Team
Samuel Pierre, Project Leader, Marc Couture, Scientific Leader of the Virtual Physics Laboratory and Hamadou Saliah-Hassane, Scientific Leader of the Virtual Electrical Engineering Laboratory. 
Brief description of the project
The LVEST project aims at allowing the integrated realization of two types of laboratories by the real-time broadcasting of filmed or simulated video sequences, the interactive simulation of remote experiments with variation of parameters, completed by remote demonstrations as well as the design of data analysis and communication tools between learners and with the trainer.

More specifically, the project aims to: 

• the development of efficient methods to use or manage remotely a set of hardware and/or software simulating the operation of devices (measuring instruments or processes);
• Exploring new ways of organizing and coordinating synchronous or asynchronous activities as they occur in traditional research and/or teaching laboratories;
• the design, experimental implementation and evaluation of a telecommunications platform intended to support, initially, two virtual laboratory prototypes: one in the field of Physics and the other in the field of Electrical Engineering.

This initiative aims to fill a serious gap in distance education that uses mainly text or television broadcasting, video conferencing or text-to-image Internet, without offering a real solution to the important experiential dimension of science and technology learning. The longer term objective remains the definition of a generic concept of virtual laboratory that could be applied to different fields of knowledge and areas of science and technology.

Realization

My mandate as the scientific leader of the electrical engineering laboratory and also the coordinator of the overall project was to produce progress reports for the funder and to deliver a prototype electrical engineering laboratory that meets the following functionalities:

• Perform experiments by interacting with remote instruments and mechanisms
• Perform simulations of experiments using numerical models
• Analyze the results of numerical simulations;
• To train and inform users from a constructivist approach so that they understand the phenomena studied and can reconstruct the links by taking into account factors due to experimentation, theory and the limitations of numerical models;
• Enable the use of synchronous multipoint video conferencing;
• Sharing data and applications between participants;
• Enable each participant, remote or not, to play a role or perform various tasks simultaneously such as: using video conferencing, making measurements or remote local commands through easy-to-use hardware interfaces and networked software tools allowing interaction.

The concept of the Virtual Electrical Engineering Laboratory was presented in:
H. H. Saliah, E. Nurse, A. Abecassis,  » Design of a Generic, Interactive, Virtual and Remote Electrical Engineering Laboratory  » Proceedings of the 1999 Frontier in Education Conference 99: The Future of Science and Engineering Education, San Juan Puerto Rico, November 10 – 13, 1999.