ERCIM News No.26 - July 1996 - INRIA

Bull and INRIA - Mediators of the Information Super-highways

by Armel Guillet

Following a partnership agreement signed in 1995 Bull and INRIA have created a GIE (an economic interest group). Ten industry-research cooperation projects are currently in progress. With the objective of proposing solutions which respond to the needs of new systems of information.

One year after the signig of the partnership agreement between Bull and INRIA, the collaboration has been confirmed by the creation of a GIE called Dyade. The aim of this partnership is to develop new products and services for future systems of information. As an example the Safe Tech project, which is concerned with the problem of the continuity of service, is on the point of reaching its goal. The project is based on a novel approach, by using middleware the application avoids the constraints of hardware and software. This innovative solution will soon allow Safe Tech to evolve into a new technology company.

In a similar manner, IVS (INRIA Videoconferencing System) will be transferred to the private sector. Developed as part of the Rodeo project at INRIA Sophia Antipolis, IVS is a Video-conferencing software package for the Internet. It already functions on several platforms (Sun, Silicon Graphics, Dec, etc). It is now available for use in the PC environment thanks to the collaboration between Bull and INRIA. An essential advantage of the product is that it respects market standards (RTP, H.261, etc.) and will conform to Windows 95 'Video for Windows' architecture.

Visio-conference on the internet with Inria Video-conferencing System

The structure of the GIE permits improved cooperation between INRIA's research expertise and Bull's industrial capacity. But its originality resides, above all, in the organization of its activities. These are established on a short time frame (12 to 18 months) and should allow for a transfer to the private sector. These activities are divided into three major themes: distributed information systems; I-way servers and formal verification methods.

Dyade will identify new directions for itself due to its dynamic structure, these will include commercial transactions on the info-nets, new technologies (broad band, mobile computing, etc). The GIE has given itself five years to build original solutions. The first results are promising. More will soon follow.

more information on the IVS system at http://www.inria.fr/rodeo/ivs.html

Please contact:
Patrick Valduriez - INRIA
Tel: +33 1 39 63 52 51
E-mail: Patrick.Valduriez@inria.fr

return to the contents page