Objective
The goal of VENN is to develop Man Machine Interface applications based on a common framework for the supervision of very large and complex industrial processes, with a special focus on transportation networks (e.g. electricity, gas and water transportation, telecommunications, airways, railways, etc.).
This system will be based on the newly emerging paradigm of Virtual Reality, which enables the user to interact freely with a multidimensional representation of the target system. The potential of this new Human Computer Interaction technology in the area of system supervision attracts much interest worldwide, but has not been fully assessed yet. In this area, advanced multidimensional graphics provide a new way to display all the information about the controlled system and the territory, so as to enhance the operator comprehension of the phenomena involved in the on-line operation of the network. The user is enabled to navigate an informative structure represented by a virtual multi-dimensional space including the controlled system. The graphic realism of the environment, the naturalness of interaction with the represented elements, along with the capability of navigation, will establish a more immersive and effective form of interaction compared to the currently available conventional 2D interfaces.
The project will develop a generic man machine system for network operators by generalising the requirements of two close but complementary sectors: supervision of an electricity transportation network and of a telecommunication network. The Consortium includes some of the largest potential end-users worldwide for each experimentation sector, i.e. ENEL (the Italian electricity utility), PPC (the Greek electricity utility) and France-Telecom; and a major player worldwide in the sector of large systems supervision, Alcatel-Alsthom.
The project approach conforms to modern task analysis and system evaluation methodologies for man-machine systems. It relies heavily on full involvement of end-users organisations, contributing: (a) their requirements (b) specific testing sites, and (c) operating personnel. Operators will be involved since the beginning and will directly assess the impact of the system in a twofold cycle:
- in the first cycle, which will last about one year, the requirements of the two sectors will be analysed and two prototypes based on background know-how of the partners will be built and then evaluated by end-users. The results of this experiments will be assessed and compared with the state-of-the-art and the technological trends;
- based on positive results of this first experimentation, the second cycle, lasting eighteen months, will consolidate the application requirements; specify and build a common framework for multidimensional visualisation and navigation through complex systems; and build and experiment two demonstrator applications. The electrical demonstrator will be field tested in the national control centres of ENEL and PPC.
The VENN results will assist in the more efficient, reliable and cost-effective supervision of transportation networks, thus allowing an important step forward of the service quality and real financial benefits, derived from the increased efficiency and availability of the controlled system. Potential impact is evaluated to be in the range of 20 MECU yearly in Europe for each sector.
Exploitation is guaranteed by the direct involvement of major end-users who are committed to generalise the adoption of the project outcomes in their supervisory centres; and by the participation of a major supplier of supervisory systems worldwide, Alcatel-Alsthom, who is active in almost every sector where the VENN results can be exploited, including electricity, telecommunication, traffic control, etc. through several of its affiliated companies. In particular, the VENN results will be integrated in the supervisory systems supplied by Alcatel-ISR to various market segments, namely utilities and Air Traffic Control.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques.
- natural sciencescomputer and information sciencessoftwaresoftware applicationsvirtual reality
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringinformation engineeringtelecommunications
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Topic(s)
Call for proposal
Data not availableFunding Scheme
CSC - Cost-sharing contractsCoordinator
91025 Evry
France