Obiettivo The European Museums Network is an application pilot in which the objectives are to develop and demonstrate an advanced application of telecommunications in the cultural field. The project has the general theme of Discovery; Traces of Europe's Cultural Integration. Its main contents are virtual or imaginary collections of artefacts, to be presented to the public as real objects and, simultaneously at different locations, electronically on multimedia workstations which will be interconnected via telecoms networks. The main objective in the context of RACE is the development of telecommunications applications in fields other than those traditionally associated with a business environment; in this case the cultural field. The European museums network is an application pilot in which the objectives are to develop and demonstrate an advanced application of telecommunications in the cultural field. The project has the general theme of Discovery, Traces of Europe's Cultural Integration. Its main contents are virtual or imaginary collections of artefacts, to be presented to the public as real objects and, simultaneously at different locations, electronically on multimedia workstations which will be interconnected via telecoms network.The application pilot demonstrates interactive navigation through a pool of multimedia museum objects, according to users' wishes and associations. This is complemented by a multimedia acquisition tool which allows for editing, inputting and composition of multimedia documents and objects. The pilot was realised using sophisticated workstations with high quality output facilities for still images, video images, sound music and text. Software was developed both for nondeterministic navigation through the museum artefacts for direct access to distributed multimedia databases, for the data bank administration and for a very easy to use user interface. The database system is on a Unix server and integrated services digital network (ISDN) or broadband telecommunications networks (and appropriate services) are used to interconnect the geographically separated systems.First a multimedia workstation was designed and offered to the museums for testing. Having the test systems in place, the museums experts were able to have first direct experiences in handling the machine and using the application. Valuable results came back from this first fieldtest leading to substantial revisions of functions and technical features. Next a second release of the test system was programmed including new functionalities and new user requirements and 100 more multimedia descriptions of museum objects which have been worked out by the museums including additional detailed informa tion bits (DIB). A system model description (SMD) has been elaborated defining user requirements and helping the virtual understanding between the technical and the museum group. Then the design for the final system was finished and the systems were installed in the museums. 800 objects are being input.Technical Approach The application pilot will demonstrate interactive navigation through a pool of multimedia museum objects, according to users' wishes and associations. This is complemented by a multimedia acquisition tool which allows for editing, inputting and composition of multimedia documents/objects. The pilot will be realised using sophisticated workstations with high quality output facilities for still images, video images, sound, music and text. Software will be developed both for non-deterministic navigation through the museum artefacts for direct access to distributed multimedia databases, for the data bank administration and for a very easy to use user interface. The database system will be on a Unix server and ISDN or broadband telecommunications networks (and appropriate services) shall be used to interconnect the geographically separated systems. The first three years of the project were spent in developing the system and the application and to prepare the pilot experiments, which are to be run simultaneously at the locations of the eight participating museums during 1992. Key Issues . Identification of user requirements (museums visitors and museum professionals). . Design of multimedia applications and systems according to specifications and requirements worked out in collaboration with the museums. . Man-machine interface for lay users. . Full digital media integration. Achievements In 1989 a multimedia workstation was designed and offered to the museums for testing. Having the test- systems in place, the museums experts were able to have first direct experiences in handling the machine and using the application. Valuable results came back from this first field-test leading to substantial revisions of functions and technical features. In 1990 a second release of the test-system has been programmed including new functionalities and new user- requirements and 100 more multimedia descriptions of museum objects which have been worked out by the museums including additional so-called detailed information bits (DIBs). A system model description (SMD) has been elaborated defining user requirements and helping the virtual understanding between the technical and the museum group. In 1991 the design for the final system was finished and the systems were installed in the museums. 800 objects are being input now. Expected Impact This project should show that new telecommunications technologies can contribute to cultural integration among European countries. A novel kind of service to the museum world will be developed and offered, including alternative solutions for advanced multimedia communications as technical support. The whole system will most probably serve as an example for other application fields. Campo scientifico natural sciencescomputer and information sciencesdatabasesengineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringinformation engineeringtelecommunicationstelecommunications networksnatural sciencescomputer and information sciencessoftwaresoftware applicationssimulation software Programma(i) FP2-RACE 1 - Community programme (EEC) in the field of telecommunications technologies (RACE), 1987-1992 Argomento(i) Data not available Invito a presentare proposte Data not available Meccanismo di finanziamento Data not available Coordinatore FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FOERDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V. Contributo UE Nessun dato Indirizzo Breslauer Strasse 48 76139 Karlsruhe Germania Mostra sulla mappa Costo totale Nessun dato Partecipanti (12) Classifica in ordine alfabetico Classifica per Contributo UE Espandi tutto Riduci tutto German Maritime Museum Germania Contributo UE Nessun dato Indirizzo Mostra sulla mappa Costo totale Nessun dato Gulbenkian Foundation Portogallo Contributo UE Nessun dato Indirizzo Mostra sulla mappa Costo totale Nessun dato International Council of Museums Francia Contributo UE Nessun dato Indirizzo Mostra sulla mappa Costo totale Nessun dato Kunsthalle Hamburg Germania Contributo UE Nessun dato Indirizzo Hamburg Mostra sulla mappa Costo totale Nessun dato Museo Arqueologico Nacional Spagna Contributo UE Nessun dato Indirizzo Mostra sulla mappa Costo totale Nessun dato Museon Paesi Bassi Contributo UE Nessun dato Indirizzo Mostra sulla mappa Costo totale Nessun dato Musée des Antiquites National Francia Contributo UE Nessun dato Indirizzo Mostra sulla mappa Costo totale Nessun dato National Museum of Denmark Danimarca Contributo UE Nessun dato Indirizzo Mostra sulla mappa Costo totale Nessun dato Overseas Museum Bremen Germania Contributo UE Nessun dato Indirizzo Bremen Mostra sulla mappa Costo totale Nessun dato PK Berlin Germania Contributo UE Nessun dato Indirizzo Berlin Mostra sulla mappa Costo totale Nessun dato Telefones de Lisboa e Porto Portogallo Contributo UE Nessun dato Indirizzo Mostra sulla mappa Costo totale Nessun dato Telefonica Sistemas SA Spagna Contributo UE Nessun dato Indirizzo Mostra sulla mappa Costo totale Nessun dato
