Introduction | Career Opportunities | Illustrative Example

Illustrative Example
As an illustrative example of the type of project that Computer Engineers may be involved with, consider the NeosTV project carried out by TCD Computer Engineers and many others since 1996.

Like any good project the aim was simple - to replace the TV in a hotel bedroom with a single easy-to-use device that would allow guests to watch TV, watch videos on demand (allowing guests to fast forward, rewind and single step videos), surf the internet, send email, listen to the radio, listen to music, record TV programs, play DVDs & CDs, allow laptop connectivity, order room service, pay the bill and so on. It is the forerunner of the type of system that will become commonplace in the home of the future as broadband network connections become widely available.

NeosTV started as a European funded project in which TCD collaborated with the Rutherford Appleton Research Laboratory (RAL) in Oxford, Jurys Hotel Group in Dublin and others. A totally digital solution was devised around multi-media PCs and servers which is so easy to use with a remote control, that many guests think they are using a TV.

There were many technical challenges to overcome, however, in making a robust system that stood a chance of being commercially successful. NeosTV comprises many hardware and software components that have to be selected, constructed/written, made work together and then tested to destruction. Many practical aspects had to be considered. For example, media companies require that their videos and music be stored in encrypted form and decrypted only on playback and hotels require that all software updates must be made remotely to avoid disturbing guests in their rooms.

An early prototype was demonstrated in Jurys, Custom Quay in 1997. Since 1999, the system has been commercialised by a London based company called Neos Interactive. A number of TCD Computer Engineers & Computer Scientists work with Neos Interactive in London.

NeosTV is targeted at 5 star hotels. At the Dorchester Hotel, Park Lane, London, each of the 200+ rooms has at least one NeosTV system. The photographs show the NeosTV systems in a small suite, which comprises 2 bathrooms, a bedroom and a sitting room. A plasma based NeosTV system is in the bedroom and a TV based system is in the sitting room. The NeosTV system is housed in a purpose built armoire. The doors hide the PC, a FAX/printer and paper supply.

The Dorchester has also created the new position of E-Butler whose job is to make sure that guests get the most out of the NeosTV system in their room. The first E-Butler was a student from the Shannon Catering College.

Building a system like NeosTV is interesting, challenging and technically rewarding and is only possible with the broad range of skills that Computer Engineers possess.