Alcatel-Lucent said that its research arm Bell Labs and Belgian research institute IBBT are establishing a joint research lab to invent applications that will bring a new dimension to video communications.
The two organisations will also realise new high-speed access technologies on which the introduction of these applications will depend.
The joint lab’s decision to focus on next-generation video applications is motivated by the increasing number of users that expect a video communications experience much more interactive and customised than what is achievable today.
It also anticipates the broad introduction of 3D and ultra high definition television panoramic video and the advent of immersive communications in the near to mid-term future.
Bell Labs vice-president Danny Goderis said engaging in collaborative programmes with other research institutions is essential to the Bell Labs research model, and they look forward to employing their competencies in forming such collaborations in order to make the joint research lab with IBBT a true success story.
IBBT director Wim de Waele said they believe the joint lab will enable them to tap into that source of innovation and serve as a model for research that will benefit to Belgium in the future.
The announcement of this joint research lab was made at the "Future of the Internet Week" conference in Ghent, Belgium.
The lab is conceived as an open initiative that will incorporate additional partners over time, and the research programmes will generally be scoped for a period of three years.
