Network based virtual design center (VDC) development

It is becoming increasingly popular to distribute design, development, and operational tasks to different locations to optimize the cost, efficiency and productivity of operations. Such a distributed processing heavily depends upon the successful networking and sharing of the resources. It has been well documented that for concurrent engineering practices, to develop reliable products in minimum turn around time, information should be fed to the design phase continuously. Thus a virtual design center (VDC) concept using the distributed resources, with real time audio and video interfaces between individuals at the distributed locations, is of utmost importance. With digital connectivity techniques such as integrated services digital network (ISDN) and frame relay becoming available around the public switched telephone network, the virtual design center concepts can be implemented more efficiently using these methodologies. Screen sharing for visual observation and interaction, file sharing for information access, and voice interaction are the main requirements for the development of the virtual design center concept. The authors describe the concepts and methodologies under investigation at Florida International University for implementing virtual design center.