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Photos: Inside BT's world of innovation

BT is showing off a variety of IP-based applications at its Innovation at the Speed of Life showcase, from authentication and banking security to audioconferencing and fibre-optics. ZDNet UK popped down to take a look
By David Meyer, Contributor
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1 of 6 David Meyer/ZDNET

This is URUPlus, BT's three-factor authentication system for logging into corporate networks from any Web-connected computer.

A remote secure token generates a one-time code for the user, who then uses it to clear the first stage of security. This was followed, in the example shown to ZDNet UK, by a verification call request to the server. The server then called the user's mobile phone, asking him to speak his phone number. Thus, pre-registered information (the handset's number) and biometric voice analysis constitute the second and third levels of security.

BT says authentication is a key component of its next-generation 21st Century Network (21CN), which some parts of BT expect to have rolled out nationwide by the end of 2009. 21CN will replace BT's legacy networks with a single IP-based infrastructure across the country.

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2 of 6 David Meyer/ZDNET

BT is also working closely with the financial sector to combat card fraud. The banks are currently developing low-cost mobile chip-and-PIN readers for their customers to use at home, with Barclays likely to lead the charge in 2007. BT is bidding to supply authentication for these services.

The user simply sticks his or her card into the reader, which displays a randomly-generated code for logging into an online banking site.

Costs are kept low in such systems by having an identical series of codes on both the bank’s servers and the card’s chip. All the intelligence is on the card, so the reader itself costs less than £5 to produce. For extra security, a new code is required for every transaction.

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3 of 6 David Meyer/ZDNET

One of the most interesting products under development at BT is Senate, the Spatially Enhanced Natural Audio Teleconferencing Environment.

Aside from providing practically hi-fi quality stereo sound, the delivery of all the audio channels to everyone on the call means Senate allows each user to choose the arrangement of their voice over IP (VoIP) teleconferencing experience, through an interface that looks a bit like a radar detection screen.

Each participant in the conference appears as a coloured icon, which flashes when they are speaking. These icons can be dragged around the screen to group participants on the left or right (this makes sense when listening in stereo), or towards the perimeter of the conference circle to quieten or eventually mute the speaker. Additionally, background music can be dragged in for the end-user's enjoyment or, depending on how interesting the conference is, distraction.

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4 of 6 David Meyer/ZDNET

One problem BT found with the deployment of its fibre-based next-generation network is that, unlike an electricity-conducting copper infrastructure, individuals strands of fibre are impossible to identify by traditional means. So BT asked its engineers to develop a fibre-optic sensor that can do just that. The result identifies fibres by noise detection, with sensitivity to half a millionth of a metre.

Thirty of the patented devices are currently deployed in the field by BT Wholesale, but the company is also now talking to utility companies about using the technology to do things like detecting leaks in water pipes.

But further uses continue to pop up. BT has experimented, in conjunction with Rolls Royce, with using fibre wrapped in copper as a long, thin, makeshift microphone for pinpointing flaws in jet engines — the technology is simple and hardy enough for use in such extreme environments, where the noise generated by jet engines tends to destroy conventional microphones.

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5 of 6 David Meyer/ZDNET

The next step in BT's home offerings will be the BT Vision box, due for release around the end of October. The device is a bit like a Sky+ box in that it contains a hard-drive recorder and allows “catch-up” viewing if the user misses their favourite show.

The Vision box is IP-driven, connecting to the Internet via the BT wireless hub, and can be used to display the variety of content — such as video on demand — available through BT's portal. The TV screen will display notification of incoming calls and the box will even be capable of running video-conferences. This could let users discuss a TV show with their friends as they watched it, says BT, although the feature will not be available on the Vision box when it first comes out.

The box is also capable of supporting high definition multimedia interface (HDMI) technology.

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6 of 6 David Meyer/ZDNET

BT was also keen to show off the patented Push-to-TV compression technology it has developed to re-proportion video from the TV set to the mobile screen, or vice-versa.

As with the Slingbox, users can access the BT Vision box’s signal from their handset and re-route it to their small screen. However, unlike the Slingbox system, this Java-based application is network-aware and compresses the picture according to the means of connection, i.e. GPRS, 3G or Wi-Fi, which BT says will ensure a consistent user experience whatever the viewing device.

The application also turns the user's standard mobile phone into a remote control for their Vision box.

As with many of the technologies on display in the Innovation at the Speed of Life showcase, Push-to-TV is at the concept stage rather than ready for the market.

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