Future Internet experimentation in Belgium

IBBT is an internationally recognized multidisciplinary ICT research institute, stimulating ICT innovation (looking at technological, legal, business and sociological aspects). IBBT enables accelerated development and exploitation of new ICT products and services in strategic sectors in Flanders. IBBT unites more than 600 researchers from numerous Flemish universities and knowledge centers. Future Internet research is one of the main research themes in the programs of IBBT. This is reflected in the long-term research projects, in which Future Internet research is an important research area. On
the other hand there are the research programs, which have shorter-term goals, looking at the shorter-term impact of the Future Internet developments.

Experimentation is in extreme focus in IBBT enabled FI research, hence IBBT iLab. iLab evaluates the practical feasibility of innovation at the earliest possible stage of development, reducing the time needed to attain proof of concept. IBBT facilitates experimentation with three complementary infrastructures, iLab.t, iLab.u and iLab.o.

1. iLab.t: Technical feasibility evaluation of the ICT innovation

iLab.t (Technology Centre) provides lab infrastructure to evaluate technical feasibility, performance, and service quality of your ICT innovation at the earliest possible stage. iLab.t is a technology and knowledge center at IBBT to support experimental multi-disciplinary research for Future Internet technology and innovative ICT services and applications. It is connected locally to industry and research groups, and connected globally for worldwide collaboration. iLab.t contains an extensive set of user devices, network technologies, and advanced testing and measurement equipment, and has adequate network connectivity. In addition to a wired testbed, iLab.t includes a significant wireless mesh and sensor network infrastructure deployed in IBBT office spaces, meeting rooms, student lab rooms, corridors, iLab.t, etc. The Wireless Lab is connected to iLab.t Virtual Wall, a generic test and emulation environment for advanced network, distributed software and service evaluation, and supports scalability research.

The iLab.t Technology Center can be accessed externally for collaborative research through remote login facilities, under policy conditions.

2. iLab.u: Usability of the ICT innovation

iLab.u (User experience design & evaluation) observes reactions and experiences of future users in a professional lab environment. iLab.u identifies problem areas and suggests improvements.The iLab.u collaborators evaluate diverse aspects according to these user’s reactions and experiences with the innovation:

Accessibility
Functionality
Usability
Emotional experiences

The collaborators at iLab.u meticulously record all reactions and experiences of the users by means of:

Sound and video recording
Eye-tracking equipment
Physiological measurement equipment including skin conduction sensors, heart rate monitors, …

The fixed lab infrastructure of iLab.u can reproduce a living room and an office area. The lab has been equipped to test the application of ICT technologies on a wide array of carriers, including TVs, PCs, mobile phones, and PDAs. In addition, iLab.u has a portable test kit that enables the evaluation of ICT applications outside the laboratory environment and a mobile set for testing wireless applications. iLab.u is located at the Center for User Experience Research (CUO) of the Catholic University of Leuven.

3. iLab.o: Large-scale trial for ICT innovation

iLab.o (Open Innovation on ICT) enables setting up a large-scale trial outside the lab environment. Representative users get the chance to test the ICT innovation over a longer period of time in their daily environment. iLab.o has the know-how and the expertise to organize a successful trial outside of the lab environment and provides you with:

Representative user groups
The correct methodology for the most reliable results
Infrastructure and platform: our own infrastructure (Urbizone) or one tailor-made for your project