Award Abstract # 1451220
EAGER: US Ignite: Digital Tele-Microscopy in Support of Teaching Biology

NSF Org: CNS
Division Of Computer and Network Systems
Recipient: UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Initial Amendment Date: August 10, 2014
Latest Amendment Date: September 6, 2018
Award Number: 1451220
Award Instrument: Standard Grant
Program Manager: Deepankar Medhi
dmedhi@nsf.gov
 (703)292-2935
CNS
 Division Of Computer and Network Systems
CSE
 Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering
Start Date: October 1, 2014
End Date: September 30, 2019 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount: $299,848.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date: $299,848.00
Funds Obligated to Date: FY 2014 = $299,848.00
History of Investigator:
  • Richard Weinberg (Principal Investigator)
    weinberg@cinema.usc.edu
  • Katherine Randolph (Co-Principal Investigator)
Recipient Sponsored Research Office: University of Southern California
3720 S FLOWER ST FL 3
LOS ANGELES
CA  US  90033
(213)740-7762
Sponsor Congressional District: 34
Primary Place of Performance: University of Southern California
930 West 34th Street
Los Angeles
CA  US  90089-2211
Primary Place of Performance
Congressional District:
37
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): G88KLJR3KYT5
Parent UEI:
NSF Program(s): Information Technology Researc
Primary Program Source: 01001415DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
Program Reference Code(s): 7916
Program Element Code(s): 164000
Award Agency Code: 4900
Fund Agency Code: 4900
Assistance Listing Number(s): 47.070

ABSTRACT

This project explores how to enrich high-school biology education by bringing university microbiologists and research-grade microscopy into the classroom via real-time, high-grade video. Research-grade microscopes have a variety of technologies not normally available in high-school classroom instruments. Techniques such as phase contrast, differential interference contrast, and others make it possible to see details in living organisms that students would not otherwise be able to see. Professional microbiologists are able to provide expert commentary about specimens and answer questions in dialogues that can enrich student's experience and excite their sense of discovery. This project is using gigabit networks and ultra-high-quality video to bring research instruments and researchers into the classroom.

The project links research facilities at the University of Southern California with the STEM School Chattanooga, a public high school. The project's technology will allow researchers at USC to place live biological specimens under a USC-developed microscope and capture ultra-high resolution (4k) movies of the microorganisms while simultaneously transmitting live, high definition images from the microscope system to the students. It takes advantage of Chattanooga's deployment of a city-wide gigabit network. The project provides students there the unique opportunity to collaborate with scientists a continent away.

PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT

Disclaimer

This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.

This project connected the USC School of Cinematic Arts, in Los Angeles, CA, with STEM High School Chattanooga, TN, to develop and demonstrate a new method of teaching biology classes remotely. Distant students viewed remote microscope images live via a 4k (4 times high definition TV ) digital cinema camera and controlled the remote microscope, some 1800 miles away, while teleconferencing with scientists at USC about microorganisms in water samples under the microscope that both groups simultaneously see on 4k flat panel displays.

The system made a new type of learning experience possible. The course centered around STEM high school students interacting with remote university faculty, learning to control a research microscope remotely, and exploring microorganisms that live in a drop of water. Students working in groups of two to four conducted their own research projects by treating samples of local water sources with their choice of substances, then sending samples overnight delivery to USC for viewing under the remote microscope and discussion. These sessions were integrated into the 11th grade biology class curriculum, helping the teacher achieve specific learning objectives for the course. At semester's end, each group of students presented their research findings in a poster session, just like a poster session at science conferences. For most of the students, this was their first exposure to microorganisms, to university faculty, to conducting their own science experiments, and to remotely controlling research grade laboratory equipment. This combination of elements made for an engaging student experience.

The educational experience proved to be so useful that the group in Chattanooga raised the funds to essentially duplicate the USC 4k microscope locally, so they could teach other high schools in the surrounding Hamilton County remotely. This has led to a new type of high school student work position, the 4k microscope lab assistant, where students assist in microscope classes and teach remotely, gaining university-like experience early in their education.

We also used this system to teach a remote high school biology course in Flint, MI. We presented the system remotely at two SC (SuperComputing) conferences, SC2017 in Dallas and SC2018 in Denver, at an NSF-GENIE conference in Washington, D.C., and the US IGNITE Application Summit and Smart Cities Innovation Summit in Austin, TX in 2016, where the project was selected as one of the plenary demonstrations for the conference. During the SuperComputing conferences, attendees visiting the USC booth saw live images from the microscope and controlled the microscope stage position, magnification and illumination remotely while we held a simultaneous video conference.

On the technical side, at USC, we utilized an Olympus BX63 upright automated microscope with an automated stage, along with RED Epic and Sony PWX-FS7 4k digital cameras to capture moving images of live microorganisms. The images were then captured by a BlackMagic Design Declink Extreme 12G 4k capture card on an HP Z840 workstation with NVIDIA GTX980 graphics card, running Windows 7, using UltraGrid software to encode and transmit the 4k images. Olympus CellSens software was used to control the microscope, and HP Remote Graphics System (RGS) Sender to provide a remote desktop and allowing remote mouse control of the microscope. In addition, a webcam attached to the microscope stage showed images of the microscope's objective lenses as they raised, rotated and lowered robotically when magnification was changed by the remote user, and a second webcam showed the condenser optics underneath the microscope stage, which are operated manually by the researcher at USC to adjust the lighting. These two webcams enabled a better intuitive understanding of how the microscope works, because they are looking at the microscope, while the 4k camera is looking through the microscope. A third webcam showed a live view of the researcher at the microscope. To integrate the webcam images into the desktop image, we used Magic Performer from Color & Music, LLC. At the receiving end, we used a laptop running Windows 7 with UltraGrid software to decode the 4k images live, HP RGS Receiver to display the remote desktop, and for videoconferencing we used a LifeSize 220 video conferencing systems at each end of the connection.

This project presents an example of how technology developed for the entertainment industry, such as 4k and higher resolution digital cinema cameras, remote graphics software, and consumer grade 4k flat panels can be integrated with research grade equipment such as microscopes. It provides an example of how nationwide high speed, low latency fiber optic research networks can bridge the gap between universities and high schools for new learning experiences. We hope these remote microscopy classes will inspire students and 4k lab assistants to pursue higher education and careers in STEM fields, to appreciate the role of microorganisms, and to appreciate the role of the microscope in the sciences.

Made possible by US IGNITE / NSF EAGER grant 1451220.


Last Modified: 12/30/2019
Modified by: Richard Weinberg

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