The Bridge from ACTS to the outside World
Main Objective
The primary objectives of InfoBridge are to provide an information window through which the work of ACTS is visible to the outside world, as well as to publish accessible summaries of ACTS Projects and Domain results targeted at specific segments of the market (e.g. scientific, technical and policy communities). Furthermore InfoBridge will provide an electronic information base (Web-based Infospace) as a hub for the information exchange within ACTS and to the outside world.
InfoBridge will build on the work of the successful ACTS project InfoWin, addressing dissemination activities, which are not covered by InfoWin (e.g. extending the information window to new geographical regions especially Eastern Europe). It will continue the base information and service infrastructure after the end of InfoWin to ensure the visibility of ACTS results in the 5th framework programme.
InfoBridge will focus on the information generation from projects, information collation and consolidation around specific thematic points, information editing and condensation for specific audiences including the reporting of key events.
Technical Approach
As InfoBridge will build on the work of the InfoWin project, it will use and extend the services, tools, products and experiences of this successful ACTS project to reach the objectives of InfoBridge. After the end of InfoWin in December 1998, InfoBridge will continue the tasks, which are necessary to ensure a successful dissemination of ACTS results focused on key events bridging the gap to the 5th framework. For all publications the well-known InfoWin label will be used to ensure continuity in the promotion of the ACTS Programme and its results.
The technical approach to achieve the objectives of InfoBridge is based on a distribution of the work into
- gathering, processing and publishing of ACTS-domain related information and data (ACTS results and promotion material) in an attractive way
- re-purposing and information objective exchange with other horizontal action projects in order to support the promotion of results
- organising and co-ordinating the dissemination of ACTS results on major events
- providing basic dissemination channels (such as an electronic information base, news services) and services supporting projects in the dissemination of their results
Covering of events
The technical approach to the work addressing the events is broken down into pre-event activities (preparation and promotion), activities at the event itself, and the follow-up of the event.
The scenario of the coverage of an event is illustrated by the figure below.
Publications and Promotion Material
As the ACTS Programme results in a wide range of outcomes and achievements, InfoBridge will establish - in close collaboration with a European network of reporters and technical specialists - a continuous collection and dissemination of results obtained in the projects. It will also establish and disseminate the impact of the work in ACTS on the 5th Framework programme. The collected data will be processed in various publication formats for different target groups and objectives. The products will include promotional material (brochures, posters, flyers etc.), domain-oriented thematic issues and success stories of ACTS. In addition, regular publications are planned such as a multilingual headline news service. The products will be published as books, on CD-ROM and as on-line-versions on the Infospace.
Basic Information Dissemination Infrastructure, Services and Project Support
A basic infrastructure will be provided by InfoBridge to ensure the continuous visibility of ACTS Programme and dissemination activities and the support of projects and the Commission in their effort to provide ACTS results. This includes the ongoing promotion of ACTS in all European regions and in specific business sectors as well as towards the 5th Framework. These will be supported by regular information services such as multilingual headline news, as well as internet and direct contacts to media gatekeepers and business multipliers. The Infospace will be the hub of the Web-based electronic information exchange for ACTS events as well as for the InfoBridge services and a database for the ACTS projects (e.g. other dissemination and promotion projects) and the ACTS Programme and community as a whole. It is an essential channel for dissemination of information about the ACTS Programme and its results to the outside world in a continuous and timely manner.
Summary of Trial
The work of this project is such that no practical experimentation is foreseen.
Key issues
The key tasks of InfoBridge are:
- information gathering
- editing
- marketing and dissemination, and
- online services
Expected Achievements
The goal of InfoBridge as a service project is to provide a variety of information and products and to provide a variety of services.
ACTS Information Window - InfoBridge will continue the ACTS Information Window, which is the main on-line dissemination forum of the ACTS Programme. Mirrored to the main European backbone networks it provides an easy access-point to a number of services, to information on ACTS, and to the InfoBridge publications.
InfoBridge will produce a number of publications:
- Multilingual Headline News: In order to support the promotion and dissemination of results in various member countries and CEE. InfoBridge will provide a multilingual headline news service. The headline news service addresses primarily information multipliers and media gatekeepers including technical journalists, editors of speciality magazines and key experts.
- Hybrid Bulletin: InfoBridge will continue to produce the "house journal" especially for the ACTS community, initially provided by InfoWin, in an extended manner. It will be a major information base for the ongoing activities within the ACTS Programme and the Concertation Mechanism (e.g. new thematic issues planned by InfoBridge).
- Thematic Issues: The objective is to disseminate results of the ACTS projects by a series of targeted publications. The work will use the domain structure as the overall guidance and focus on the main results, which relate ACTS to the 5th Framework Programme.
- ACTS Success Stories: The importance of ACTS for the Information Society as well as in the 5th Framework Programme will be highlighted by a bundle of publications. Emphasis will be put on the implication of the areas addressed by the trials and on actual and potential exploitation.
Expected Impact
Key issues in the impact of the project are the production and distribution of attractive publications on the ACTS Programme to target audiences, the establishment of an ACTS presence at major events and the generation of awareness and recognition of the benefits of advanced communication. The impact will be the improved exploitation of results from ACTS projects and an increase of the interest in participation in future European advanced communications research and development programmes.
| D |
Rechenzentrum Universität Stuttgart |
| UK |
Analysys Ltd |
| SIN |
Centre for Wireless Communications |
| D |
Deutsche Telekom Berkom GmbH |
| RUS |
Information and Computer Complex |
| GR |
INTRACOM SA |
| ISR |
MATIMOP |
| POL |
Nicholas Copernicus University |
| CH |
Telscom |
| HU |
Technical University Budapest |
| N |
Telenor Research and Development |
| DK |
UNI-C |
| E |
Universidad Politecnica de Madrid |
Barbara Burr
Rechenzentrum Univ. Stuttgart (RUS)
Allmandring 30
70550 Stuttgart
Germany
Tel: +49 711 685 5811
Fax: +49 711 678 7626
E-mail: burr@rus.uni-stuttgart.de
