CHICAGO - January 14, 2002 - Continuing the business relationship that began with technology transfer of The MITRE Corporation's Spitfire intrusion-detection software last Fall, Open Channel Software (OCS) announced that its Open Channel Foundation (OCF) nonprofit arm is hosting five new applications from MITRE at www.openchannelfoundation.org, beginning today.
Just as it did with Spitfire - which has enjoyed more than 1,200 downloads since OCF began Web-hosting the product last September - MITRE created these technologies in response to highly specific market demands. For example, the McLean, VA-based not-for-profit national technology resource developed Spitfire in conjunction with the U.S. Air Force. The product has been highly successful in military exercises for the Naval Security Group, as well as the U.S. Army's Land Information Warfare Activity, and also has been installed in the U.S. House of Representatives.
As a not-for-profit company operating federally funded research and development centers, MITRE faces some real challenges in transferring technology," says Gerard Eldering, director of the Technology Transfer Office at The MITRE Corporation. "While we want our technology to be widely used and to become available and supported for our sponsors, we must also maintain MITRE's objectivity," he says.
"Furthermore, MITRE's culture is very collaborative and open, and our researchers often prefer the 'Open Source' type of software release as one way to transfer our technologies, in the public interest," states Eldering. "The Open Channel Foundation provides a great solution for technology transfer that fits nicely into our culture. While MITRE can release the software as open source, our government customers have a potential vendor to turn to for support," he notes, adding that, "In the end, MITRE-developed software becomes available, affordable and supportable, while preserving our objectivity."
"JOSIT and WOSIT"
New MITRE-developed applications include "building-block" software toolkits called JOSIT (Java Observation Simulation Inspection Toolkit) and WOSIT (Widget Observation Simulation Inspection Tool), upon which other applications may be based.
JOSIT is an open Application Programmer's Interface (API) for implementing applications written in the Java programming language. JOSIT seamlessly integrates with any Java application written using Sun Microsystem's standard library of Java graphical objects. JOSIT observes user actions, inspects the state of objects, and scripts graphical events.
Possible applications for JOSIT include logging of interface actions to analyze efficiency of tasks, support needed interface changes and automated step by step instructions, as well as creating user manuals. Also, JOSIT can be used in real-time user monitoring for enabling intelligent tutoring systems, Intelligent Computer Aided Instruction (ICAI), Computer Based Training (CBT) and intelligent checklists, as well as for synchronization of application sharing
The Widget Observation Simulation Inspection Tool (WOSIT) allows communication with a program's graphical user interface. WOSIT provides the means to observe user actions and inspect the properties of items on a program's user interface and, potentially, simulate those user actions. WOSIT requires no modifications to a program's source code or recompiling of any program. It runs transparently, in the background, while using negligible disk space, memory, and processor time.
"ART . . . SAILE???"
Preliminary applications of MITRE's JOSIT and WOSIT toolkits include its Synchronous and Asynchronous Interactive Learning Environment (SAILE) and its Asynchronous Replay Tool (ART). These software solutions can help provide a general approach to sharing tools and promoting collaborative learning and problem-solving, according to Douglas Curry, vice president of business development at Open Channel Software.
"Research has shown that classroom learning improves significantly when a student participates in learning activities with small groups of peers. This educational value of student collaboration has led to the development of computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) tools," says Curry.
"These tools enrich learning in a setting that encourages students to communicate with their peers. In typical web-based collaborative learning environments, however, it is not always possible for all learners to gather and participate in a learning activity at the same time," Curry states, adding, "This is where MITRE's two new products, SAILE and ART, fulfill terrific market needs."
Since asynchronous learning must be addressed, it is envisioned that Synchronous and Asynchronous Interactive Learning Environment (SAILE) will provide rich asynchronous services to web-based students. And, since a key component of this environment is the use of Replay to enhance asynchronous learning, Asynchronous Replay Tool (ART) will provide persistence of objects and actions over time.
"MINNIE and SLAPS"
The purpose of MITRE's new Minirouter project is to demonstrate the feasibility of using commercial products and open source software to create an "on-the-move," general-purpose communications capability suitable for use in tactical environments. The Minirouter provides a standard Internet Protocol (IP) interface that can be used to connect any host computer running an IP suite to one of several types of commercial or military satellite terminals. These terminals are chosen to be small, rugged, and capable of being mounted to a vehicle and operating while on the move.
Meanwhile, SLAPS (System Logfile Analysis and Profiling Service) is a MITRE-developed collection of utilities used to provide a centralized syslog log collection and analysis system for servicing distributed heterogeneous client/server computing environments. SLAPS peruses systems logs looking for critical messages, using three filters: Filter 1 determines whether a message is based on keywords. Filter 2 determines whether a message is one that can be ignored, and Filter 3 determines whether a message is one of interest, as pre-defined by the network administrator.
# # #
About the MITRE Corporation
MITRE is a not-for-profit national technology resource that provides systems engineering, research and development, and information technology support to the government. It operates federally funded research and development centers for the Department of Defense, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Internal Revenue Service, with principal locations in Bedford, Massachusetts and McLean, Virginia. The goal of MITRE's technology transfer program is to ensure that its technology is broadly applied for the benefit of government sponsors and the general public alike. For further information on the organization's available technologies, go to MITRE's technology transfer home page (http://www.mitre.org/tech_transfer/), or contact Gerard Eldering at 703-883-6053.
About Open Channel Software
Open Channel Software (OCS) is an Internet-based organization that publishes, distributes, and commercializes software created at academic and research institutions, serving as a central clearinghouse for high-quality, technically advanced scientific applications. By hosting these programs in an open-source environment, OCS is able to monitor market activity and identify breakthrough opportunities with strong commercial potential for appropriate hosted applications. At that point, revenues can be generated by providing needed support services to commercially sponsored programs targeted for success.
The OCS Web site offers truly innovative, cutting-edge programs focused around certain categories, or Disciplines. OCS actively promotes the software that it sponsors, in order to build and maintain a community of involved users. If software has sufficient commercial viability, OCS provides the resources that are required to bring that software to commercial distribution, proactively markets it, and offers fee-based support and services to its customers. Please contact OCS by visiting http://www.openchannelsoftware.org or by phoning 773-334-8177, to learn more about Open Channel Software, the Open Channel Foundation, its software Disciplines, products and services, or to become a participating author/developer.
NOTE: All product names mentioned in this news release are brands or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
