Joint research lab will focus on evolving and integrating video capabilities with broadband technologies
Ghent, Belgium, December 16, 2010 – Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) today announced that its research arm, Bell Labs, and Belgian research institute IBBT are establishing a joint research lab to invent applications that will bring a new dimension to video communications. The two organizations will also realize new high-speed access technologies on which the successful introduction of these applications will depend.
In bringing together public and private interests, the joint lab aims to efficiently integrate fundamental and applied research in order to unlock the value of these new dimensions of video communications within the marketplace. This public-private research model, a first of its kind in Belgium, has been introduced in other European countries such as France and Ireland with positive result.
The joint lab’s decision to focus on next-generation video applications is motivated by the increasing number of users that expect a video communications experience much more interactive and customized than what is achievable today. It also anticipates the broad introduction of 3D and Ultra High Definition Television panoramic video and the advent of immersive communications in the near to mid-term future. The joint lab expects to introduce capabilities imbued with “intelligence” to analyze the content of a video transmission as well as understand user preferences in order to create a viewer experience that is more relevant, more valuable, and more compelling. A complementary initiative will introduce a capability for high-speed access networks to accommodate this information when deciding the optimal means for delivering that content, adapting as conditions and requirements change.
“Engaging in collaborative programs with other research institutions is essential to the Bell Labs research model and an area in which we have extensive experience,” said Danny Goderis, vice-president, Bell Labs. “We look forward to employing our competencies in forming such collaborations in order to make the joint research lab with IBBT a true success story.”
“There is a wealth of innovative ideas that have the potential to transform video communications,” said Wim de Waele, director IBBT. “We believe that the joint lab we establish with Bell Labs will enable us to tap into that source of innovation and serve as a model for research that will be of great benefit to Belgium in the future.
The announcement of this joint research lab was made at the “Future of the Internet Week” conference in Ghent, Belgium. The lab is conceived as an open initiative that will incorporate additional partners over time. The research programs will generally be scoped for a period of three years.
About IBBT
IBBT, the Interdisciplinary institute for BroadBand Technology, is a Flemish research institute aimed at ICT innovation. The interdisciplinary teams have carried out over 100 research projects in close collaboration with over 300 partner organizations since the foundation in 2004. These projects strive for the joint development of innovative applications in various domains such as health care, mobility & logistics, culture & media and green ICT. For more information: http://www.ibbt.be
About Alcatel-Lucent
Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) is the trusted transformation partner of service providers, enterprises, strategic industries such as defense, energy, healthcare, transportation, and governments worldwide, providing solutions to deliver voice, data and video communication services to end-users. A leader in fixed, mobile and converged broadband networking, IP and optics technologies, applications and services, Alcatel-Lucent leverages the unrivalled technical and scientific expertise of Bell Labs, one of the largest innovation powerhouses in the communications industry. With operations in more than 130 countries and the most experienced global services organization in the industry, Alcatel-Lucent is a local partner with a global reach. Alcatel-Lucent achieved revenues of Euro 15.2 billion in 2009 and is incorporated in France, with executive offices located in Paris. For more information, visit Alcatel-Lucent on the Internet: http://www.alcatel-lucent.com, read the latest posts on the Alcatel-Lucent blog http://www.alcatel-lucent.com/blog and follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/Alcatel_Lucent.
