Emerging Technologies

Course Coordinator: Dr Kevin Hung, BSc (Queen’s University); MPhil, PhD (CUHK); SMIEEE; MIET; MCIE

Course Developer: Dr Toby Chan, Consultant; Prof. Bebo White (Unit 2-4); Mr J WU (Unit 5-7); Mr Jacky Mak (Unit 8-10)

All over the world engineers are adding new service capabilities and refining old ones. For example, on the cellular front, satellite-based systems that provide truly worldwide access have become a reality. In local area networks, Gigabit Ethernet has gone from infancy to early adulthood in about 18 months, while asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) has established itself in wide area networks and may realize its potential in local area networks as well. At the industry level, telephone companies, cable operators, and Internet service providers are beginning to merge. At the application level, popular developments include Internet telephony and the growing use of imagery, video, and audio in both Internet and Intranet environments. At the human level are issues and technologies related to the ultimate security, privacy, human interface and appliances used to connect to the network.

This course will look at all the issues mentioned above. It will be delivered in a mixture of face-to-face meetings, workshops, site visits and via learner-centred self-learning materials.

Aims
This course aims to introduce advanced technologies in communications and related management.

Contents
The course covers the following topics:

• Broadband communications

• Optical communication networks

• Next-generation Internet Protocols

• Multimedia communication over IP networks

• Future mode of mobile computing

• Geographic information system and digital maps

• Fourth generation mobile technologies

• Internet technologies and applications

• Grid, cloud and utility computing

• Web 2.0

• Future computing interfaces

Learning support
There will be regular structured expert speaker seminars and tutorials throughout the course.

Assessment
There are four assignments and a final examination. Students are required to submit assignments via the Online Learning Environment (OLE).

Online requirement
This course is supported by the Online Learning Environment (OLE). You can find the latest course information from the OLE. Through the OLE, you can communicate electronically with your tutor and the Course Coordinator as well as other students. To access the OLE, students will need to have access to the Internet. The use of the OLE is required for the study of this course.

Equipment
You will need access to a computer system suitable for connecting to the Internet. The minimum configuration of the computer system is:

• Pentium IV 2.4 GHz CPU

• Microsoft Windows XP or above

• VGA display card and monitor

• 1 GB RAM

• 1 GB free hard disk space

• DVD-ROM (8X or better) and sound card

• Mouse and printer

Set book(s)
There are no set books for this course.