Dr. Gaoyong Luo, Chair

Department of Electronics Information, Guangzhou University, China

Codec Enabled Audio Communications over IP/Mobile Internet

 Time & Date: 5 pm – 6 pm, Thursday, October 9, 2014

Location: EME 1153, UBC, Okanagan Campus, Kelowna, BC

Talk Abstract: The Mobile Internet (by 3G/4G/5G network) is very widely spread today. Audio over Internet Protocol (IP) terminals are increasingly being used in radio operations for streaming of radio programs over IP networks from remote sites or local offices into main studio centers. The IP networks used are invariably well-managed private networks with controlled quality of service, which refers to the ability to reduce delay and jitter over IP. The internet is increasingly also used for various cases of radio contribution, especially over longer distances. Radio correspondents will have the choice in their equipment to use either the Mobile Internet/WiFi or other available IP networks to deliver audio, reaching many millions of people using terminals such as office desktops, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and mobile phones. With the increase of bandwidth (data rates) available for mobile internet user, on-line conversation by audio over IP instead of voice over IP is now possible, which offers better quality of service. It is expected that audio over IP systems will be used more and more for live IP streaming. However, with very few exceptions, IP equipment from one manufacturer has until now not been compatible with another manufacturer’s unit. Some of the audio over IP units are still in a somewhat immature, more or less prototype stage but further development continues. The requirements for interoperability are based on the use of RTP over UDP for the audio session and SIP for signaling. The packet payload audio structure is defined for commonly used audio formats in radio contribution. Four mandatory codec formats are specified: G.711, G.722, MPEG Layer II and linear PCM. Other audio formats can be used as well, but the latency is a big concern. The audio encoding itself introduces delays from milliseconds for PCM to more than hundreds of milliseconds for some bit-rate reduced coding formats. In the case of a two-way conversation, the total round trip delay should be kept as low as possible, because otherwise a conversation becomes difficult, especially when non-experienced reporters or the general public are interviewed. In addition, the IP network itself has a delay, from a few tenths of milliseconds in well managed networks up to 500ms or more on very long distances over the internet or satellite links. This talk will address the continuous development of IP networks combined with more sophisticated audio over IP terminals in the era of mobile internet. Connections over the internet with different types of telephony and professional units for broadcasting will improve telephone audio quality and worldwide access to Reporters by the newly developed WiFi terminals using very low delay audio coding technology, which results in IP audio codecs that can provide rock solid studio to transmitter link (STL), remote broadcast and audio distribution solutions. Small handheld units and also software codecs in mobile phones will provide very efficient tools for users. This talk is based on the collective inputs from many manufacturers, and long term research on audio communications over IP and wireless channel.

Speaker Biography: Dr. Gaoyong Luo is a Professor and has been heading the Department of Electronics Information at Guangzhou University. He has a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Brunel University, UK. Since 1998, he has been with Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College and Buckinghamshire New University. He has taught thousands of students and supervised the work of master students and Ph.D. students. His main research interests are in the field of wavelets, spread spectrum communications, wireless positioning, remote sensing, audio coding, and power line communications, with expertise in coding and modulation theory and applications to communication systems. Dr. Luo has published over 70 refereed journal/conference papers and many patents. He is the author of Wavelets in Engineering Applications (Science Press, 2014). He is an IET member, and serves as a technical program committee member or session chair for a number of international conferences. He has given invited talks on signal processing, communications and internet of things technology. He serves as reviewer in many including IEEE and IET journals and conferences, such as IEEE Transactions on Image Processing, International Journal of Remote Sensing, IET Electronics Letters and International Symposium on Intelligent Signal Processing and Communication Systems.

Refreshments will be provided. For further information please contact:

Julian Cheng (Email: julian.cheng@ubc.ca)

HAINS Gaétan Joseph Daniel Robert

LACL, Université Paris East, Créteil, France

Scalable parallel programming: hardware, algorithms and applications

Time & Date: 5pm – 6pm, Monday, August 25th, 2014
Location: EME 1202, UBCO, Kelowna Campus, Kelowna

Talk Abstract: We will present and explain the Bulk-Synchronous Parallel (BSP) model of
parallel computation. BSP was invented in 2009 by Leslie Valiant and has been applied to almost every possible parallel algorithm, parallel hardware and parallel software application. BSP allows a clean and portable understanding of how parallel hardware can «couple» efficiently or not with big data and large-scale simulations.
We outline categories of applications where infinite scalability is either, easy, conditional and
complex or mostly impossible. Measured machine parameters allow performance prediction for computations of unlimited size in many application areas.

Speaker Biography: HAINS Gaétan Joseph Daniel Robert, Computer Scientist. Education: BSc,
honours, 1985; MSc, 1987, D.Phil., 1990. Appointments: Researcher, CRIM Montreal, 1989;
Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, University of Montreal, 1989-95; Visiting Professor
ENS Lyon, 1994; Visiting Researcher, Fujitsu-ISIS, Japan, 1994-95; Professor, 1995-, Director,
2000-05, 1st class professor 2004-, Laboratoire d’informatique fondamentale d’Orleans,
University of Orleans; Programme Officer, Software research programs at Agence Nationale de
la Recherche (ANR) 2005-06; Professor 2006-, Director 2007-, Laboratoire d’Algorithmique,
Complexité et Logique, Université Paris 12. Honours: Commonwealth Scholar, 1986-89; IISF
Visiting Scholarship, 1992. Address: LACL, Université Paris East, 94000 Créteil, France.
Website: http://hains.org.
Outstanding Scientists of the 21st Century, S. Rains ed., First edition, International Biographical
Centre, Ely, Cambridgeshire UK, 2007.

Refreshments will be provided. For further information please contact:

Youry Khmelevsky (email: youry at ieee.org)

Dr. Pawel DmochowskiSchool of Engineering and Computer Science

Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand

Chasing Channels- Adaptive Codebooks for Limited Feedback MIMO

Time & Date: 10:30am-11:30pm, August 11, 2014

Location: EME 1121, UBC Okanagan campus

Talk Abstract:Multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems have received considerable attention over the last two decades owing to the improvements in link throughput and/or the reliability of signal reception. In order to achieve the full capacity gains, channel state information is required at the transmitter, thus necessitating feedback of this information from the receiver to the base station. Given the multi-carrier nature of 4G systems, this feedback overhead is restricted to a few bits per subcarrier. Consequently, the performance of limited feedback closed-loop MIMO systems is very sensitive to the codebooks used to achieve such channel quantization.

Codebooks in current standards, such as LTE, were optimized for independent identically distributed Rayleigh fading channels, whereas realistic propagation environments exhibit both temporal and spatial channel correlations. In this talk we will demonstrate the inefficiency and performance loss of standard codebooks in realistic channel models (such as WINNER II), thus motivating adaptive codebook techniques. We will present methods for perturbing the standard codebooks, specifically focusing them around the channel and following the channel trajectory throughout transmission – thus significantly reducing the quantization errors. Blind adaptation methods, i.e. without introducing additional feedback requirements, will be presented.

Speaker Biography:

 Pawel A. Dmochowski (IEEE S’02, M’07, SM’11) was born in Gdansk, Poland. He received a BASc (Engineering Physics) from the University of British Columbia in 1998, and MSc and PhD degrees from Queen’s University at Kingston in 2001 and 2006, respectively. He is currently a Senior Lecturer in the School of Engineering and Computer Science at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. Prior to joining Victoria University of Wellington, he was a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) Visiting Fellow at the Communications Research Centre Canada as well as a Sessional Instructor at Carleton University in Ottawa. He is a Senior Member of the IEEE and is actively involved in the IEEE New Zealand Central Section Committee. His research interests include Cognitive Radio, limited feedback and Massive MIMO systems.

Doug Oucharek

Manager of the Lustre Core Development group, Intel Corporation

 Clustered File Systems for High Performance Computing and Big Data

Time & Date: 5pm-6pm, Tuesday November 26th, 2013

Location: E 103, Okanagan College, Kelowna Campus, 1000 KLO Rd., Kelowna, BC V1Y 4X8

Registration is opened: https://meetings.vtools.ieee.org/meeting_view/list_meeting/22019

Talk Abstract: The world of HIgh Performance Computing (HPC) is one of vast numbers: tens of thousands of compute nodes clustered together, petabytes of shared storage, and kilometres of network cables.  The demands HPC places upon storage systems are the most extreme of any other computing discipline.  In this talk, I will be outlining the specific requirements of HPC storage systems, and delve into the architecture of “Lustre”: an open source parallel distributed file system used by the majority of the top 100 supercomputers.  I will also be talking about the future of HPC file systems and how Big Data is adopting HPC file systems to improve performance.

Speaker Biography: Doug Oucharek is the manager of the Lustre Core Development group at Intel.  He was pulled into Intel as part of an acquisition of a startup supporting Lustre called “Whamcloud”.  Prior to working for Whamcloud, he spent over 25 years working on various networking products at several companies including Nortel, Motorola, IBM, HP, and Broadcom.  Doug works and lives in Naramata, BC, Canada.

Ian Horseman

TELUS Communications Inc.

The Evolution of Telecommunications Networks,

and Exploration of Future Topologies

Time & Date: Cancelled. New date will be announced later. We are sorry.

Location: TBA

Talk Abstract: Telecommunications networks have many inventors to credit with their creation, from Alexander Graham Bell, and Marconi, to innovators like John Walson. Their contributions mixed with a myriad of topology decisions combined to build a system that most of us rely on today. Have you ever wondered how they are built? Why technologies are chosen? Or, what variables will shape the network of the future?

This talk will outline the genesis of telecommunications networks to date. It will examine the underlying causes for technology choices, and explore what holds change back. After doing so, the future state of networks can be projected. The talk will shed light on where we are going. It will give the audience a sense of why we need fibre to the home, and how we could get 1 Gbps connectivity to our phones.

Speaker Biography: Ian Horseman is currently an access planner for TELUS Communications Inc., where he is part of a team of specialists which determine what shape TELUS’ network will take in the future. He has worked in telecommunications in a variety of roles for the past 11 years. While doing his undergrad (B.Eng ’04) at Carleton University he was also a Technician for Bell Canada.

After completing his degree he worked in a multi-discipline engineering role at Kenora Municipal Telephone Service (KMTS). He helped analyze and deploy wireline, mobility and fixed wireless networks within its serving area.

In 2008, Ian moved to Kelowna, BC to work for TELUS. In his current role he has managed the deployment of telephone carrier systems, DSL network nodes (ADSL, and VDSL2), GPON and FTTx networks within BC. He is also a member of the November 2013 graduate cohort at UBC Okanagan, and will hold a Masters (M.Eng ’13) focusing on small cell mobility networks and project management.

Alex Miller

The Kelowna Society of Investors (KSI)

An Introduction to Investing Outside the Box

Time & Date: 3pm-4pm, Wednesday, November 13th, 2013 (before the Venture Okanagan Investor Forum at OC)

Location: E 403, Okanagan College, Kelowna Campus, 1000 KLO Rd., Kelowna, BC V1Y 4X8

Talk Abstract: The presentation will share some of the options available for investment beyond the usual portfolio of stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. I will present the basics on investing in real estate, providing private loans, investing in the exempt market and investing directly in businesses. Following the presentation I will introduce a panel of experts (accountant, lawyer, exempt market dealer, etc.) to answer questions about their specific areas of investment.

The talk will be conducted before the Venture Okanagan Investor Forum on November 13^th at Okanagan College. The Venture Okanagan Investor Forum will be hold in the room H115 at Okanagan College at 5:30 pm, after our talk. For more information about Venture Okanagan Investor Forum visit www.ventureokanagan.com.

Speaker Biography: Alex Miller is a local entrepreneur and investor. After growing up in Mississauga, Ontario and studying in London at the University of Western Ontario Alex moved to Kelowna in 2005 to join his father in the family retirement home business. Over the course of several years Alex worked his way up though the company, eventually buying out his father and taking over as President of the property management arm of the company. After selling the company in January of 2013 he joined Nitesco Media, an online marketing company that boasts a portfolio of thousands of websites under management. As their Director of Sales he helps local professionals harness the power of the Internet to find new clients for their practices. Alex has always been an avid investor. He started with the stock market as a teenager and has branched out into a number of other areas since then. His background in the retirement home business gave him the confidence to jump into real estate investing and private lending about five years ago. He then took the profits from those endeavors and started looking at investing directly into businesses. In 2012 he invested in his first tech startup and later that year joined the VA Angels as a charter member. 2012 also saw Alex form the Kelowna Society of Investors, a community group that focuses on educating it’s members about investing and presenting them with non-traditional opportunities to do so.