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Connecting Research and Learning Through Technology
Discover the advanced technology now available in the new spaces in the Daedalus building.
Learn more about our new:
Teaching and Learning Space
Collaboration Space
Flexible Learning Space
Research IT Data Centre
Teaching and Learning Space
Technology, when used effectively, is an enabler of learning. To this end, we have developed a teaching and learning space in the Daedalus building which showcases and pilots technology solutions which can be deployed in teaching and learning spaces across campus.
The teaching station is a factory-built Teammate model customised to meet UCD specific requirements. All of the technologies listed below are fully integrated with an intuitive and easy to use user interface:
Ceiling-mounted data projector
Laptop input capability
Desktop PC with DVD and USB
DVD/VHS
Document Camera/Reader
Sound capability
Desk Mounted Control Panel
Lecture capture system
Sympodium Interactive Pen Display
ReVue is a solution that allows a lecturer to easily capture different aspects of their lecture and to make it available to their students as a Podcast via their Blackboard module. The process can be fully automated by scheduling in advance or can be carried out as a series of simple steps by the lecturer on the day.
The Sypmodium Interactive Pen Display allows a lecturer to make any presentation interactive. The lecturer can write over their favourite applications (Word documents, Powerpoint presentations, Images etc.) in “digital ink” and save their notes.
Collaboration Space
Visual communication is an important facet of effective communication for enhanced collaborative learning and research. UCD IT Services now provide a Collaboration Space in the Daedalus Building offering Video Conferencing, 3D Visualisation and Smartboard technologies. The technologies implemented within the room are cost effective solutions which could be implemented in various locations across campus.
Our Video Conferencing solution is based on Polycom hardware connecting to the HEAnet Video Conferencing service. This type of configuration enables point to point and point to multipoint conferencing without the need for all participants to have compatible end point equipment installed. The system currently installed here is a high definition system giving excellent picture and voice quality.
Providing cost effective visualisation facilities for the research community has been a challenge that Research IT Services has embraced since its inception. Following the completion of a successful collaboration with the UCD School of Computer Science and Informatics, Research IT Services are now providing 3D Stereo Visualisation using the 3DViz projector technology from CyViz. Driving the projectors is a dual boot Ubuntu Linux / Windows XP Dell Workstation with an Nvidia Quadro FX 4500 X2 graphics solution, allowing users the opportunity to use both off-the-shelf and in-house software. The visualisation solution enables researchers to see their data in meaningful way.
Smartboard Technology is also available. Whilst offering traditional whiteboard capabilities this technology can be used in a variety of learning and collaboration situations.
As this room was designed with the end user in mind, all of the technology in the room is designed to be easily accessible and can be controlled through a single Crestron control system. The technologies are complimentary to the room and are there to facilitate collaboration and learning. The room itself is furnished to high standard with capacity for up to 16 people in an academic boardroom format. Internet access is available both wirelessly and through fixed network points and there are plenty of power points in the room.
Flexible Learning Space
This space was identified as the ideal space to promote a useful and well designed learning space for students and its location at front of house in Daedalus was ideal from an accessibility and visibility point of view. It is already a very popular spot for students to gather and work together.
The aim for the redesign of this room was to trial new furniture and a new layout to create an open access work/learning space which was flexible, informal and functional.
It was not envisaged that teaching will take place in this room, however provisions were made to allow for this to consent to maximum flexibility in the use of the room.
Our target audience are:
Students – primarily undergraduates
Single customer looking to access network services via SUAS PC, Laptop (their own device or a loan device from IT Centres)
Small groups’ usage for collaborating on project work/study.
The new room now is split into 3 different areas. The first of these areas was designed to promote learning through:
Small group discussion & collaboration
Possible breakout spaces for students
A wireless base station was also installed to allow for the use of laptops through out the room.The second area in the room was designed to incorporate SUAS (Stand Up And Surf PCs). The third and final area in the room allows for casual collaboration in comfortable surroundings.
Research IT Data Centre
The Daedalus Research IT Data Centre currently hosts IT equipment from a wide variety of both UCD and national Research projects. UCD projects include Computer Science, Mathematical Sciences, Conway Institute, Geary Institute, Engineering, IVRLA and Irish Folklore while national projects include Irish Centre for High End Computing (ICHEC), Grid Ireland and NIBRT.
The Data Centre is a state of the art hosting facility which uses the APC ‘hot-aisle’ InfrastruXure solution to provide power, cooling and environmental management all of this is has a fallback backup diesel generator which automatically takes the power load in the event of an electricity outage. The APC equipment together with a ‘free’ cooler means the whole system is optimised to the efficient use of electricity.
In 2008 there has been a large take up of our hosting service for research servers, we are also hosting High Performance Compute Clusters for Mathematical Sciences, Engineering & Physics, UCD IT Services shared ‘Phaeton’ cluster and the latest Supercomputer from ICHEC.
The ‘Stokes’ ICHEC cluster was listed as number 116th on the November 2008 top 500 list of fastest supercomputers worldwide http://www.top500.org/ . UCD has purchased 11% of this cluster for use by UCD researchers on a first come basis.