Current Projects
Departmental CDROM Duplicator
A
CD-ROM duplicator was purchased by the Department at the start of 2003 for
small batch production, having the capability of producing CDs with printed
labels at the rate of up to 100 per day. The Multimedia Group now provides
a complete design, editing, and duplication service for CDs, Ecards, and DVDs.
Various projects have been commissioned including conference proceedings, university and college prospectuses, audio CDs and courseware for schools. The equipment is available for the use of CUED members at an internal rate. Non-Departmental applications and external users will be charged a commercial rate, subject to availability.
Plasma Screen
A
plasma screen was installed in the Department's reception area in 2001, and
the group has investigated the use of this screen for a variety of purposes
since then, from welcoming visitors and providing information about seminars
to disseminating information about research programmes.
Please send information for display on the plasma screen to: plasma-notices@eng.cam.ac.uk
News & Features
The
group is also keen to promote an understanding and appreciation of engineering
in the wider community. To this end, it is involved in generating publicity
for the activities of the Department. The web is seen as an important tool
for such publicity, and the multimedia group regularly produces web based
news items for the Department's home page, as well as acting as a central
point for communications with the press. An email contact address has been
established: press-office@eng.cam.ac.uk.
4th Year M.Eng. Projects
As
part of its commitment to enhancing the learning opportunities for engineering
students, the Multimedia Group organises final-year projects to develop virtual
lecture course material for use within and potentially beyond the Department.
These projects combine the creation of high-quality multimedia content with
the development of techniques to support delivery and student assessment.
Previous projects have included courseware to support the teaching of such topics as Artificial Intelligence, Linear Circuits, Phase Diagrams, Structures, and VLSI Design. Other projects have included creating multimedia material to introduce scientific concepts to schoolchildren, and developing software tools to support the Multidisciplinary Design Project, the successor to the current Integrated Design Project.
Access and further details on these packages can be found on the Multimedia Group Teaching Resources pages.
ACDMM-Messenger
This
project originated in the need to address the communication problems of the
highly peripatetic ACDMM (Advanced Course in Design, Manufacture and Management)
by designing and producing a messaging software package (ACDMM-Messenger)
to provide two-way messaging over the Internet and mobile phone networks.
ACDMM-Messenger facilitates communications between course administrators and up to 40 students and, equally, allows the latter to communicate amongst themselves in their various groups. Names and contact details are held on a database and groups can be formed by administrators and students as required. This enables members to send messages to both individuals and groups and to receive messages according to their preferred mode of access (text message or email). Receipts are sent back to senders so that administrators know the information has reached the right people and there's even a filtering mechanism so that "general interest" messages are only delivered to students who are likely to be interested in them.
Further details can be found in an article which appeared in the September 2002 issue of Enginuity and user instructions are also available online. The development team are interested in seeking potential partners to transform it into a commercial package, suitable for deployment in other organisations.
CUED Research Website
A
specifically designed website was launched in January 2003 to provide a source
of information about the research and teaching within the Department. Visitors
can access the home pages of the various research groups which constitute
the six research divisions, in addition to those involved in interdisciplinary
research.
Visit the website @ www.eng.cam.ac.uk/research