PROFORMA FOR SUBMITTING R&D PROJECT PROPOSAL

FOR SEEKING FINANCIAL SUPPORT

SUMMARY SHEET

1. Title of Project: Distance Education Project for IT Professionals

QOS enhancement of Remote VSAT Center Receptor

2. Organisation

a) Name : Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay.

b) Address : Powai, Mumbai – 400 076.

c) Legal status (indicate if Government Department, Statutory, Corporate Body, Registered Society, Private Company with recognised R&D unit etc.)

3. Chief Investigator

a) Name : Prof. M. U. Deshpande

b) Designation : Professor

c) Department : KReSIT

d) Address : IIT, Bombay, Powai, Mumbai – 400 076.

4. Nature of Project (Check one)

a) Research, Development & Engineering (R,D & E) leading to production capability

b) Application oriented Research, Design and Development (R,D&D) having production potential

c) Basic R&D

5. Objective of the Project:

IIT Bombay has already initiated a Satellite based virtual classroom project for extending IIT’s expertise and experience to teachers and working professionals at five remote centers viz Nagpur, Indore, Pune, Nanded and Juhu in existing in well established colleges. Unlike the other open and distance learning initiatives, the focus of IIT’s distance education program (DEP) is an extending the live IIT classroom training to remote centers by Satellite based synchronous video conferencing with facility for full two way audio/video interaction to and from the remote centers.

The objective of the Project is to enhance the quality of service (QOS) in the Remote / VSAT center reception of live video/audio broadcast from Central classroom studio in IIT’s ongoing Distance Education Program.

The issue of quality of service is being tackled on four critical fronts:

I. Improving redundancy of hardware by providing hot standby mode for mission critical systems.

II. Improve quality of “retransmission” of broadcast to remote center by using DVD/DVC for efficient File Transfer Protocols, to transmit lectures for local broadcast at remote centre.

III. Live streaming of recorded broadcast by Internet – Pilot Project Study.

IV. Remote end image enhancement algorithm to improve quality of audio-visual experience by compensating for packet loss during transmission /capture of program.

6. Brief outline of the project with specific technology fall-outs

a) Improved audio/video learning experience

b) Efficient file/data transferring using existing Bandwidth.

c) Improved and diversified accessibility through VSAT/Internet/DVD.

7. Expected outcome in physical terms (as applicable)

a) Specifications of subsystem/system (as applicable)

b) Nature of documents for technology transfer

c) Manpower trained

i) Level of training – Videography of classroom lectures, Management of Satellite Networks, Faculty training for e-learning

ii) Nos. (industry/outside R&D/Internal) – 300 man weeks

8. Agency with which link up is (Details may be given as applicable) ~~established~~/proposed: Govt. agencies like CDAC, EdCIL.

9. Duration of Project : Two years

10. Year-wise break-up of physical achievements with specific intermediate milestones (in terms of aims and objectives)

I. End of 1^st year 50% quality upgradation

II. End of 2^nd year 100% quality upgradation

11. Likely End User(s) : IT professionals and Teachers

12. Name of other organisations jointly participating in the project (including organisation abroad) : None at present

13. Total Budget outlay

(Rs.in lakhs)

Years

Head 1^st 2^nd Total Remarks

Capital Equipment Rs. 28.00 12.00 40.00

FE Comp. --- NIL

Consumable stores (i) Rs. 2.30 2.70 5.00

FE Comp. (ii) B.W. Charges 7.00 7.00 14.00

Duty on import (if any) Rs. NIL NIL

Manpower Rs. 3.00 1.00 4.00

Travel & Training Rs. 2.00 1.00 3.00

FE Comp.

Contingencies Rs. 1.50 1.50 3.00

Overheads, if any Rs. 1.80 1.20 3.00

Grand Total (FE Comp.) 45.60 26.40 72.00

` Grand Total : Rs. 72.00 Lakhs

FE Component : Not foreseen

14. a) Contribution of Project Implementing/ Not foreseen in

& other Organisation in Total Budget Outlay R&D

b) DIT Contribution Rs. 72.00 Lakhs

Signature of Chief Investigator Signature of

Designation Head of the Institution/Organisation

Date Designation

Date

Additional Information Required

1. Wherever applicable, Under S.No.13, share of the industry, collaborating agency, any other assistance and DIT's support required in the total cost of the Project may be provided under various budget heads.

2. Brief history of the electronics company including products being made, capacities, related collaborators, achievements, capabilities etc. may be provided (including recent annual reports and company brochure)

3. Please indicate recent major achievements of in-house R&D Unit of the electronics company in development of new products/processes, technology export, patent taken etc. and whether in-house R&D unit of the firm is recognised by DSIR.

4. Any other information in support of the proposal.

DETAILS OF THE PROPOSAL

PART 1 : BACKGROUND INFORMATION

1. Title of Project : Enhancing competency of IT Teachers and industry

Professionals.

(Improving Quality of Service in Remote VSAT

classroom reception in Distance Education Program)

2. (i) Chief Investigator : Prof. M.U.Deshpande

Professor, KReSIT, IIT Bombay.

(ii) Co – Investigator : Prof. Kavi Arya

Asso. Professor, KReSIT, IIT Bombay.

3. Other Investigators of the Project with their designations :

--------None at present--------

4. Brief Bio-data of the Chief Investigator and other Investigator (including

publication / patents) :

----------Separate sheet attached-----------

5. Competence of Investigator in Project Area (including Industry interaction

/ Technology transfer) :

(i) Running the on going 2-way Video-Audio Proforma in VSAT based Distance Education Program for last 2 years.

(ii) Formerly Director, Distance Education Council, IGNOU.

6. Other Commitments of the Chief Investigator and Co-Investigator

(including lectures, research projects, responsibilities etc.) Indicate the percentage of time the Chief Investigator and Co-Investigator would devote to the project :

(i) The Chief Investigator is looking after the original Distance Education

Program with only 20% commitment to teaching / research.

(ii) The Co-Investigator has 60% commitment to teaching and research and 40% to Distance Education Program.

7. Details on each of the ongoing / completed projects with the Chief Investigator / Co-Investigator / R&D Team :

(i) Project Title : Satellite based Distance Education Program for IT

Professionals in Industry and IT Teachers of Engg.

Colleges.

(ii) Funding Agency (or Internal Funding) : Internal (Industry Alumini)

(iii) - (vii) Brief Project Summary and other details :

8. Brief summary of other project proposals (submitted by any of the

Investigators) awaiting consideration of DIT and other funding agencies like DST, DRDO, MHRD, ICICI, IDBI etc :

------- Not Applicable -------

9. Infrastructure and other facilities available at the institute for undertaking

this project :

(a) List of major equipment alongwith model numbers, specifications etc.:

In the ongoing project full Infrastructure already existing comprise of Studio / Electric classroom etc. with satellite uplink facilities. See enclosures.

(b) Existing manpower and other personnel with names available for the project on full-time basis.

(i) Project Manager : Ms. Saraswati , Mr. A.S. Patil

(ii) Studio Manager : Mr. Sameer Sahastrabuddhe

(iii) Post Production : Ms. Malathy Baru

(iv) Project Enginners : 3 nos.

(v) Project Assistants : 5 nos.

10. Expensive Equipment / facilities available elsewhere which could be made use of for the project :

------- None------

11. Details of collaborating agencies (As this would vary from project to project, necessary details may be given as appropriate) :

------- None------

12. Additional Information, if any. :

------- None------

PART II : TECHNICAL INFORMATION

1. Aim and scope of the project (in terms of specific physical achievement) :

Currently IIT Bombay has an ongoing Pilot project in satellite based Distance Education where the live lectures in high end IT subjects are telecast to 9 centres across 3 states. At the remote centre (currently located at Indore, Nagpur, Nanded, Pune and Mumbai) these lectures are projected on screen in a local classroom.

The local students there have the facility to ask questions, clarify doubts by having answers from IIT faculty in real time (then and there). Moreover the students asking question is actually seen by student in other remote centre as well as by IIT faculty.

Further the classes are held in the mornings and evenings to enable working IT Professionals from Industry as well as Teachers of Engineering colleges teaching IT subjects so that they can pursue studies while continuing their jobs. There is an additional facility of taking the course only for self improvement (no final exams, no proficiency certificates) or for accumulating credits to a post-graduate diploma from IIT.

Apart from differential tariff for credit and non credit mode, there is an additional fees discount to bonafide students and teachers.

While the pilot program is in the second year of its operation, it is strongly perceived that an improvement in the Quality of Service (QoS) will go a longway towards its greater acceptance by Industry as well as the Academic Institution.

Essentially, the improvement in quality of service as seen by cleaners images, richer sound and smoother motion handling capability will increase the teaching learning process and lead to more centres and students taking advantage of the high quality IIT education.

Also the expertise developed will enable other good quality education institutions to have similar distance education programs of their own with greater confidence in quality and cost advantages of scale. A robust, reliable and quality provision in Distance Education Program will increase the reach (more end users benefit) and lead to wider and more diverse training application.

2. Detailed description of the Project :

The improvement in the Quality of Service to remotely located distance education student is sought to be achieved by developing new techniques as well as improving existing methodologies by four distinct but related approaches which are outlined below :

2.1 QOS improvement by increasing the reliability of mission critical system of the existing technologies by introducing redundancy in on-line (hot standby) or off-line spare availability.

This will involve better contingency management of unforeseen faults / system failure by active or passive duplication of Antenna / transmitting systems. This will involve augmenting the studio / transmitter equipments, dedicated independent communication channels by voice over IP phones at central as well as at remote centres.

2.2 QOS improvement by employing better Digital Techniques for recording and storage of recorded contents.

Currently lectures are broadcast live as per fixed pre announced schedule. In case there are unforeseen problem at some remote centres leading to non-availability of live lecture content. The students there have to wait for the receipt of CDs of the content from IIT centre studio.

The CDs cannot be used for retransmission of lecture from the studio at some other time, as the quality of reception is very poor. Therefore if lectures could be recorded by directly cutting DVDs of the broadcast or by recording on Digital Video Tapes and then transferring these to DVDs it will enable retransmission of “lost” lectures to affected remote centres as well as having “Master” DVD copies for archival library storage for future use online as well as offline and cutting economical CDs for wider distribution to Industry Training Centres.

2.3 QOS improvement by offline transmission of lecture material by efficient File Transfer Protocols.

Currently the “lost” lectures are made available to remote centre by physically sending CDs, which they can view at their convenience at the remote centre’s PCs. Since the recorded lecture is stored as a packet file in the central studio, it would be more convenient if a file (containing the lecture) is transmitted to the computer in remote centre during night or other free time between lecture at central studio as a Data Transfer Operation, using the available bandwidth. Efficient File Transfer Protocol will be developed alongwith facilities for receiving these at remote centre. All software will be using open Linux standards so that other users could use these too. Such data transfer facility is also useful for transmitting questions papers, required reading references, as well as other software tools for use by remote students.

Apart from the above offline data transfer, it is also proposed to develop an on-line digital signal processing algorithms at the remote centre end to modify the received packet stream to achieve required enhancement of image and sound. The basic approach used here is to compensate for the loss of packets in the DAMA channel due to the shortcoming of transmission /capture process in network and studio respectively.

2.4 QOS improvement using live streaming of video signal on Internet gateway.

This is essentially an alternative delivery mechanism which will enable many remote centre students to access the live classroom lecture from any Internet enabled PC at home or office. However the benefit of two-way interaction will not be available to such remote students.

Apart from the above “synchronous” scenario, it is also proposed to stream the recorded lecture at specified timing say next day or next weekend.

3. Need, forecast and urgency for he technology proposed to be developed with justification such as importance of know-how, import substitution role, pay-off w.r.t. purchase of know-how or development of technology competitiveness, technology exports, international alliances possibilities etc. :

Currently IIT’s Distance Education Project (DEP) is operational in Pilot mode at selected centres using available off-the-shelf technology from the Satellite service provider. The experience of the project in operation mode indicates that unless a well defined standard of quality of service is achieved, the scalability though “technically” feasible will not be realizable.

The project has so far helped more than 700 registered participants to access the benefit of IIT’s postgraduate level courses in concept level Information Technology subjects. Additional subjects ares to develop soft skills in teaching IT related subjects are to be provided specially for teachers by providing live case studies from industry as well as focused short term awareness cum proficiency programs on week ends for industry professionals in Mobile Computing, Embedded Systems, GNU Linux etc.

Since this is a unique experiment for quality IT education being made available outside the walls of the IIT, it will be a pace setter for other initiatives of similar distance education programs in engineering, management as well as general education programs for geographically dispersed student population from reputed educational and training organizations.

As all the software developed will be in open source format, it will be available widely and freely and will represent a distinct and critical contribution in this field where the only service providers are foreign companies with their own licensed software which we can ill afford pay especially for large student population.

Many innovations have already been made in the ongoing pilot project by IIT faculty and MTech students. Further, all the development work will be carried out by 2^nd year project students at MTech level in IIT laboratory and existing Distance Education facilities at control and remote locations.

4. Specific manner in which know-how generated here is envisaged to be

translated into production, details regarding :

a) The end product (with specifications to be attained etc.) :

As the project aims at developing hardware and software solutions for improving quality of solutions for improving quality of Multilocation Distance Education Programs. This expertise and open source software will enable indigenous manufacturers to offer commercially competitive options for the increasing Distance Education Market. Training and expertise will be made freely available to centrally funded institutions and agencies like IGNOU, State Open Universities, MIT, MHRD and Defence Training establishments.

b) Availability of pilot production facility in the organization :

All pilot production facilities are available in the ongoing DEP at IIT.

5. a) Name of production agencies willing to productionise / use and market surveys if any made by them regarding demand for the product :

The MHRD has already initiated National Project on Technology enhanced learning NPTEL, which can use the expertise directly. IIT Guwahati is actively considering associating with IIT Mumbai to acquire this facility for joint operation in servicing the needs of IT Teachers in NorthEast.

b) Alternative production / user agencies :

CDAC, Maharashtra Knowledge Corporation has evinced keen interest in the ongoing DEP and improvement in Quality Of Service will greatly enhance their acceptance.

6. Period required for completing the project :

Two years from the date of availability of funds.

As the work is to be got done mainly through the MTech project staff, it is envisaged that “proof of concept” developed by one batch of student will be operationalised as practical application & developed work by succeeding batch. Hence a 2 year period is envisaged. This will also enable extensive field trials and validation.

7. Details of work already done by present investigators / R&D team in this or other areas :

As most of the work for the ongoing project has been achieved by faculty guiding projects of postgraduate students and research scholars, details given in annexure.

8. Summary of similar work being done elsewhere in the country :

The DEP of IITB in a unique project of its kind (2 way video – 2 way audio in half duplex mode). To our knowledge, no similar work is going on at present.

9. Information regarding specific intermediate milestones (year wise) :

By the end of the 1^st year :

1. QOS improvement by audio hot line VOIP network.

2. DVD recording of live lecture.

3. Web streaming pilot

By the end of 2^nd year :

1) FTP for “lost”lecture.

2) Web streaming with full support systems.

3) Image enhancement at Remote centres.

10. a) Specific problems, hold-ups and difficulties foreseen in the

implementation of the project :

----------- None --------------

b) If the answer is not NIL to 10 (a), how does the Chief Investigator

propose to overcome them?

--------- Does not arise--------

11. Detailed PERT / BAR chart :

-------- To be supplied separately --------

12. Details of possible alternative arrangement if the Chief Investigator leaves institution or is unable for any other reason to continue on this project :

In the event of non availability of Chief Investigator, Prof. Kavi Arya , Associate Professor will take over the full implementation of the project. Also full staff of Project Manager will ensure smooth continuation.

13. Name of the organizations in India or Abroad jointly participating in this effort, extent of their involvement, specific division of responsibility, accountability etc. :

---------- None----------

14. List the personnel already working in the organization who would be transferred to work full time on this project :

---- Given in Part I ----

All the development work is to be carried out by MTech student in 2^nd year project and by Project Engineers to be recruited temporarily 2-3 months for site trials / monitoring work.

15. Name of experts whom the chief Investigator would invite to join the project team as full time / part time member :

No full time experts will be required. However, if required, consultation on specific issues will be arranged.

PART III - FINANCIAL DETAILS

Table - 1 Yearly Break-up

Budget requirements for the Year ……..(Please provide separate breakup for each year of the project duration)

S.No. Head Local Foreign Duty Total Part Amt.

expe- Exchange of 6 to be payable

nses (FE) borne by participating/ by DIT

other organization 1^st 2^nd

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. * 7. 8.

1. Capital 28.00 12.00 Nil 40.00 40.00 40.00

Equipment

2. Consumable(i) 2.30 2.70 Nil 5.00 5.00 5.00

Stores(ii)b.w.cgs 7.00 7.00 Nil 14.00 14.00 14.00

3. Manpower 3.00 1.00 Nil 4.00 4.00 4.00

4. Travel/ 2.00 1.00 Nil 3.00 3.00 3.00

Training

5. Contin- 1.50 1.50 Nil 3.00 3.00 3.00

gencies other

expenditure

debitable to

this project

6. Overhead, if any 1.80 1.20 Nil 3.00 3.00 3.00

Total: Rs. 72.00lakhs Rs.72.00 lakhs DIT.Rs.72.00 lakhs

*Total cost of the project and contribution to be made by the organisation/other organisation should be shown separately.

Table II : Subsystem wise Break-up

Capital Equipment (First year)

I. Satellite Related: Antenna/ODU 2.00

Router-ISDN PRI 2.00

Router port extension 1.00 5.00

II. Network Security: IP phone facility 1.00

Network monitoring

Software 1.00 2.00

III. Archieving/ Server with DVD writer 4.00

Storage of content DVC-PC-DVD Equipment 3.00

Laptop with DVD REC/PLT 2.00 9.00

IV. Content digitizing High speed scan converter 2.00 2.00

Image enhancement Lowlight CCD 4.00

& interaction capture Sound sensilire 1.00 5.00

V. File transfer/streaming High end PCs/servers/ 5.00 5.00

Softwares

--------------

Total: 28.00

Capital Equipment (Second year)

I. Satellite based HSCU/VC software 2.5 2.5

Hot standtry

II. Network security Router control/ 2.5 2.5

Monitoring s/w

III. Live streaming High end server 5.00 5.00

Structured cabling 2.00 2.00

---------------

Total: 12.00

Total Cost: 72 lakhs over 2 years

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Table-III Manpower Details

S.No.	Designation of post	Monthly salary	Ist Year		2^nd Year		Total
			No.of Posts	Total Expenditure	No.of posts	Total Expenditure
1	2	3	4		5		6

1. Project Engineers 5000.00 05 nos. 25,000.00 05 nos. 2,50,000.00 5,00,000.00

2. Scientific/Technical --------

3. Grade lower than (1) To be provided by IIT, Bombay

4. Skilled workers To be outsourced, included in contingency and overheads.

5. Unskilled workers

Total:

Part IV

Endorsement by the Head of the Institution

1. I have read the terms & conditions (including special terms & conditions for co-financing) governing the grant-in-aid and I agree to abide by them.

2. I certify that I have no objection to the submission of this research proposal for consideration by the Ministry of Information Technology

3. In case the project is approved, I undertake to make available facilities to carry it out, to arrange for the submission of periodic progress reports and other information that may be required by the Ministry of Information Technology and In general to ensure that the conditions attached to the award of such grant are fulfilled by my institution/organisation.

4. I certify that in case present chief investigator is not available for any reason to continue work on this project, the following persons will be available to carry it throughout to completion:

Sl.No. Name Designation

1. Prof. Kavi Arya Associate Professor

2. Prof. Sridhar Iyer Associate Professor

5. I certify that the facilities mentioned in the body of this report are available at my institution.

6. I certify that I shall ensure that accounts will be ept of the funds received and spent and made available on demand, as specified and required by the Ministry of Information Technology.

7. I certify that I am the competent authority, the virtue of the administrative and financial powers vested in me by to undertake the above stated commitments on behalf of my institution.

Signature of the

Head of the Institution

Designation

Date: