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Project Overview |
ObjectiveThe objective of the AMIE (Advanced Multimedia Integrated Environment) project was to research, develop and demonstrate an advanced environment for co-operative and distributed multimedia applications which would be integrated into an enterprise wide information technology system. A major design goal was to develop generic sub-system components which could be quickly and easily re-configured and integrated to address many different multimedia application and systems scenarios. |
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| The health care arena was chosen as an excellent demonstration for the capabilities of such a system, as it offered a demanding environment with a plethora of data modalities. An application area was identified where specific needs of a group of real users within a cardiology department were addressed. The culmination of the project was a three-month pilot field trial (later extended to four months) where the system was used in an operational role. | |
At the outset it was identified that the results of the project were immediately applicable within each of the partners' business areas. They were to be used to strengthen and enhance the individual partners' existing product portfolios and, more importantly, to identify and generate new business opportunities.
Overview |
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| The AMIE project has necessitated the development and integration of a number of innovative communications systems and computing technologies, including: | |
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| Each of these areas is large enough in its own right to justify a significant dedicated project. The fact that they have been demonstrated here in the AMIE project as a cohesive system further highlights the considerable efforts that the partners have made towards the system integration tasks. | |
Individual components have been specified, designed, built and tested; assembled into sub-systems and the sub-systems integrated to form a single distributed multimedia system. The system was installed, commissioned and deployed in St. James's Hospital, Dublin, where a four month field trial was carried out during the summer of 1996. The field trial provided an excellent show-case for the technology and was conducted in conjunction with an existing system for tangible direct comparision.
OutcomeAMIE has produced an integrated hardware and software environment that enhances the existing computing infrastructure of an organisation with distributed multimedia capabilities. To demonstrate the applicability of the innovative technologies to a standard work environment, the system is based on conventional desktop and pen-based laptop PCs running Windows 95. Specifically, development of ATM networking technology has been furthered; direct network peripheral devices have been produced which include networked versions of multimedia peripherals such as video cameras, microphones and speakers; advanced multimedia storage devices, such as ATM RAID (Redundant Arrays of Inexpensive Discs) have been proven; and development of a PCMCIA (a.k.a. PC Card) DECT radio transceiver providing wireless networking connectivity has been completed. As well as the basic hardware system components, a significant result was obtained in the development of a uniform API (Applications Programming Interface) to access the networked peripherals, a handwriting recognition service for pen-based computers and complete user applications to drive the system have all been developed within the context of the pilot installation. From a medical point of view, the most significant and successful result is that the AMIE aplication is the first in the world to bring together all the modalities used in Cardiology under a single digital integrated system for presentation.User FeedbackIn order to ascertain user opinions of the AMIE Hospital demonstrator, an evaluation questionnaire was circulated to all staff who used the system during the four month field trial. This user group included Cardiac Consultants, Registrars and Surgeons and the overall response was 91% with a 100% response rate from the Consultant and Registrar groups. Results of the user survey reveal that having all data types integrated on one diagnostic workstation is a significant advantage in patient diagnosis. 100% of respondents scored 4 or higher on a 5 point scale with 5 indicating that multimodality presentation of data is very beneficial. |
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| All of the respondents indicated that use of the AMIE demonstrator aids clinical diagnosis while 40% indicated that the demonstrator may provide a more comprehensive patient diagnosis than possible with traditional methodology. All users had little previous experience of computer systems and 80% scored their overall reaction to the system in terms of data presentation and clarity of information as 4 or higher on a 5 point scale with 5 denoting excellent. | |
| The main disadvantage the users found with the system is that a comparatively longer time per patient case is required. This however may be offset by the fact that a larger range of data is reviewed. | |
| Other benefits highlighted by the users include efficiency, ease of data management and ease of data manipulation during conferencing and the ability to present complete patient cases effectively to a moderate sized audience. In terms of video and audio conferencing, 60% of respondents scored 3 or higher on a 5 point scale with 5 denoting that a remote audio and video conferencing facility is worthwhile | |
| 80% of respondents are confident in making clinical decisions based on the AMIE demonstrator without reference to traditional display systems, with the other 20% reserving judgement until a larger patient group has been reviewed. | |
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Exploitation |
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| AMIE is a success story: through co-operation and timely hard work, a significant technical leadership has been attained in this rapidly evolving commercial field. The results from AMIE have strengthened the partners' individual product portfolios and the trial has provided valuable first hand feed-back of user reactions to future multimedia systems in the workplace. | |
| The results from AMIE have helped to support ORL in the creation and development of its two spin-off companies ATML and TSL. This has stimulated growth around Cambridge and growth for Olivetti Telemedia. Ultimately, all this creates new wealth for Europe. New jobs have been created; significant venture capital investment has been and will continue to be made. ATML and TSL between them now employ around 75 people and have raised over 40 million US dollars. This level of growth and investment is expected to continue for the foreseeable future, and will no doubt serve as a model for future exploitation of research results. | |
| A further by-product of ORL's success with spin-off company creation, and also of ORL's technical world leadership in areas such as multimedia, has been a move to expand ORL through a joint funding initiative. ORL has recently completed a funding agreement with Oracle which will provide for an approximate doubling in the size of the laboratory. Henceforth ORL are to be known as 'The Olivetti and Oracle Research Laboratory'. | |
| Telemedia Applicazioni (formerly Sixtel) have benefited greatly as they have attained type approval and a CE mark for their PCMCIA DECT radio card, which enables them to market and sell the card and system throughout Europe. They are also continuing to promote the use of DECT radio in wireless local loop scenarios, where there is considerable market interest as the European telecommunications industry moves towards deregulation. | |
| LEP have completed the developments of their handwriting recognition software. It is possible that many of the emerging PDAs will require such functionality, and licensing agreements are being sought with many manufacturers. | |
| CAPTEC have gained considerable experience in the development of multimedia applications, and are keen to continue marketing their expertise in this domain. The existing application is modular and can be tailored to meet many multimedia markets. CAPTEC seek to market these skills by selling consultancy services, licensing technology and providing systems in the medical field. |
Copyright © 1996 ORL and the AMIE partners
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