The Collaboratory for High Performance Computing and Communications

The Collaboratory for High Performance Computing and Communications (the Collaboratory or Collab) is both a project idea and a physical place. As a place, it is a facility where various research and research related activities occur related to the mission of the Office of High Performance Computing and Communication (OHPCC) at the National Library of Medicine (NLM). OHPCC funds external research on the use of advanced networks in healthcare, especially as they relate to telemedicine, disaster management, and distance learning.

The goals of the Collaboratory Project are to keep abreast of developments in collaboration and videoconferencing technology, so staff have an understanding of the external research applications the OHPCC funds; explore and experiment with a range of collaboration tools of possible use to NLM, including the development of new tools and applications when appropriate; establish a communications infrastructure for collaborating with externally funded researchers and others, demonstrating applications developed by these researchers, and for conducting internal research; and leverage this infrastructure to support programs of the Library.

OHPCC and NLM have funded Collaboratory technologies have been used to communicate with researchers and others in the field and to demonstrate high performance computing and communications applications, both off-site at national conferences and at NLM. Internal research focuses on continual development and use of cutting edge collaboration tools and the development and testing of applications. In particular, internal Collaboratory research focuses primarily on using the technology to support distance learning activities at NLM, but also includes telemedicine applications. The knowledge produced from both the technical work and application activities are presented at international and national meetings, seminars at NLM and NIH, and in peer reviewed publications.

Recent technical work focuses on extending application sharing capabilities using grid technology, reviewing various codecs for compressing video, and transmitting various types of video over IP uncompressed. Recent application work involves partnering with NLM’s National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) and the University of Puerto Rico to test the feasibility of combining real time interactive videoconferencing with multipoint desktop sharing when offering NCBI training at a distance; collaborating with NLM’s Specialized Information Services Division to offer distance learning opportunities in health to minority high school students in south-central Los Angeles and Alaska; and teaming up with researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston to study collocation as a factor in synchronous distance learning. A study is currently underway regarding the use of video for medical interpretation with the Medical University of South Carolina. Future plans include further study of collocation and presence factors in distance learning when video is one way interaction is less immediate, assessing of alternative technologies for providing high definition video over IP, and testing the effectiveness of HD videoconferencing and collaboration tools in clinical settings.