Web-based Poster Display and Archival Tool for Broad Dissemination of Research Advances

Purdue University, West Lafayette IN

Investigators

Abstract

Currently, there is limited ability to share research posters presented at technical conferences, workshops, and meetings beyond the attendees. This greatly limits the rapid sharing and dissemination of research advances. However, using the Internet, with current synchronous and asynchronous technology, to share posters in a form of virtual reality enables a much broader audience than just those in attendance to view, comment, and interact with researchers. To enable this broader research collaboration and dissemination, under this award, the education, outreach, and training development team at the Purdue headquarters for the NSF-supported George E. Brown, Jr. Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES) operations will develop a web application called the virtual poster session. This virtual poster session technology will be demonstrated at the National Science Foundation, Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation (CMMI,) grantees conference in Boston, Massachusetts, during July 8-12, 2012. This web-based tool aims to enhance the poster experience for CMMI conference attendees by taking advantage of web applications and handheld devices that will archive and display CMMI grantee research posters. In addition, the posters will be archived on the http://www.nees.org web site for at least one year, thus making the posters available for viewing and interactions by a broader audience beyond the attendees at the conference. Virtual reality concepts for viewing digitized posters enable group collaborations, comment capabilities, and discussion opportunities not constrained by geographical location. The expansion of poster session capabilities using virtual reality software from an open source creates opportunities to expand educational access, as well as research review and comment from multiple interested parties. Creating a virtual poster program will expand the visibility of CMMI-supported research activities, eliminate the geographical constraints to sharing and discussing research advances, and broaden access to continuing research.