An introduction to SATSUMA, a new iTV creation toolset for designer friendly, highly efficient iTV service creation.

This course is aimed at both professionals in TV / iTV industries and those involved in broader digital design fields who are interested in applying their talents to the rapidly expanding area of interactive television. Firstly it will demonstrate in depth the innovative service design and creation process used in the iTV services presented in day one. Secondly it will go through the process of iTV design and creation using a live worked example with particular emphasis on how designers can create iTV service simulations and translate these into fully fledged iTV services without the need for a software engineer to re-create the service from first principles. This semi-automatic translation of simulations into ready-to-broadcast services also represents a very efficient alternative to the conventional authoring process for broadcasters in addition to those looking to move in to the iTV field.

Who should attend:
This event is aimed at those working in the area of interactive TV (service creation, coding, program making, commissioning and producing) and equally those who would like a better understanding of iTV in a user and technical context with a view to applying their talents in this new area of digital media. This could include the creative digital media sector (web designers, interaction designer, experience architects, creative and art directors). Equally this event will be beneficial to individuals in linear broadcasting who are aware that after 2012 elements of interactive TV will become ubiquitous and want to understand this process from both a user and technical perspective.

About the speakers

Tim Reagan
Tim has been working for Microsoft Research, initially at Redmond USA and then at the Microsoft Research centre in Cambridge in the Social Computing Group dedicated to user centered development and rapid prototyping of new user interfaces design and systems.

Leon Cruickshank
Leon Cruickshank is a lecturer and researcher in multimedia and broadcast media concentrating on the interface between technology and user centred service and interface design at Brunel University. Funded by both the EU and nationally in the UK, he has worked on a number of projects exploring the exploitation of the latest broadcast technology to enable the creation of iTV services that are demand rather than technology led.

John Cosmas
John Cosmas is a Professor of Multimedia Systems and became a Member (M) of IEEE in 1987 and a Member of IEE in 1977. His research interests are concerned with the design, delivery and management of new fourth-generation TV and telecommunications services and networks, multimedia content and databases, and video/image processing. He has contributed towards eight EEC research projects and has published over 80 papers in refereed conference proceedings and journals. He leads the Networks and Multimedia Communications Centre within the School of Engineering and Design at Brunel University.

Emmanuel Tsekleves
Emmanuel Tsekleves is a Lecturer in Multimedia Design and Technology course in the Engineering and Design School at Brunel University. His PhD Thesis was on the semi-automated creation tools for the production of iTV services. Emmanuel has contributed towards the EU-funded project INSTINCT and the WestFocus project UITS in the design of user interfaces and development of multimedia TV applications and tools. He research interests lay in the area of multimedia service creation technologies for broadcast and broadband networks.

For Further Information Contact:

Leon.Cruickshank@brunel.ac.uk