Schedule
A preliminary program, including the time-slot and date, as well as the abstract of the talks and panels, and the bios of the speakers in final draft form is available at conference program. Click on the title of the talk or panel to read the abstract. Click on the name of the speaker to view the speaker’s affiliation and bio. Additional presentations continue to be under review by the conference planning committee, so check back often for additional updates.
Note: All times listed are US Central Time (GMT -5). Please adjust the times listed to reflect your time zone.
Tracks
The conference includes 6 tracks addressing issues important to real time communications. The names of the tracks, and their high level descriptions are shown below:
- IPTComm
- Programmable Real-Time Networks
- VoiceTech
- WebRTC & Real-Time Applications
- Next Generation Emergency Communications Services
- Internet of Things
IPTComm
Conference Co-Chairs: Carol Davids and Vijay Gurbani
The 13th IPTComm conference is an academic conference co-located with the RTC Conference. IPTComm brings together researchers from academia, industry and government to advance research in real-time IP communications. You are invited to propose papers for presentation that describe research on topics including programmable network services, internet of things, machine learning in interactive communications with focus on the reliability, security, privacy, performance and scalability. A full list of topics can be found at Call for Papers. Papers will be peer-reviewed, and those chosen for and presented during the conference and will be published in IEEE XPlore. In addition to research papers, the conference encourages application demos, in particular, for public-safety applications such as Next Generation 9-1-1. IPTComm 2020 is co-sponsored by the IEEE Chicago section.
Programmable Real-Time Networks
Track Chair: Maureen Stillman and Chris Mayer
The proliferation of smartphones and tablets, and access to ubiquitous IP wireless networks, enables developers to provide embedded voice, video, and messaging into all sorts of applications, creating much richer, contextual experiences than were possible in the past.
At the same time, programmable networks are giving rise to a new class of developer, network engineers armed with the ability to programmatically interact with the networks they administer. Programmatic interfaces enable network engineers to automate the creation of new network services (rapidly accelerating real time network creation and service activation functions), and to monitor and scale existing network services in real time to meet the rapidly increasing demands of the applications that run on top of them.
This evolution makes it possible to build, deploy, and operate new communications services quickly and with relative ease. It increases the number of communications developers and ushers in an era of “programmable real time networks” that are focused not only on technologies such as 5G and virtualization through NFV/SDN, but also on a growing set of intersections with natural language processing (NLP), machine learning (ML), artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain distributed ledgers, and many others.
This track will focus on the technologies behind the shift to programmable real time networks, new skills required for the emerging class of network developers, and how these technologies are democratizing the way developers and network engineers create value and solve problems in disparate verticals. We will also delve into the intersection of voice, video and messaging technologies with other disciplines to examine potential threats and opportunities as developers and customers define new cutting-edge services and create new, disruptive applications.
VoiceTech
Track Chair: Jordan Hosier
Speech technology has changed the nature of our daily interactions. From voice assistants to conversational bots, speech and artificial intelligence technologies give way to amazing opportunities for business applications as well as academic research.
Natural language understanding is foundational to voice-powered technology. When this technology is performing at its best, the user experience is natural, fluid, and efficient. When it breaks down, the results can be frustrating. Despite recent advances in the field of AI, most conversational technologies still require a high degree of design skill to make this technology useful and effective, but there remain many challenges that impede optimal human-computer voice interaction.
This track brings attendees up-to-date on current and emerging NLU technology, analyzing how state-of-the-art technology is applied and the potential implications when it fails. We will cover concepts related to conversational AI including, but not limited to, optimization and implementation of NLU engines, conversational design, voice biometrics and authentication, as well as best practices for the collecting, generating, and annotating of voice data. This track will highlight recent developments in NLU, challenge the operational impact of emerging technology, and identify opportunities for growth and improvement in the field of VoiceTech.
WebRTC & Real-Time Applications
Track Chair: Arin Sime
Real Time Applications are no longer a niche – they are a crucial part of the modern internet and our distributed and socially distanced lives. Live video is a key component of this new experience, as well as real-time data transfers that keep us informed even when working apart.
WebRTC video has come a long way since 2012 when it became an open source standard for allowing JavaScript code to access the microphone and camera via the browser, permitting peer-to-peer video, audio, and data connections to be created directly between browsers.
Today, WebRTC is being used in billions of browsers and mobile phones by popular services including Google Meet, Facebook Messenger, Houseparty, and many, many others. It currently enables video and audio communications in a wide range of industries, including social media, telecommunications, healthcare, education, broadcasting, and more.
WebRTC usage is growing dramatically in 2020 with the increased need to work from home and hold remote meetings due to coronavirus quarantines globally. This further increases the visibility and need for WebRTC and brings with it conversations around scaling and usability.
In this track we will:
- Go over the current status of WebRTC from a standards and market perspective
- Explore best practices for implementing Real Time Applications and WebRTC, covering topics such as web/mobile development, testing, and security
- Examine leading use cases for WebRTC and Real Time communication applications
- Learn how to scale WebRTC
- Discuss the future of the WebRTC standard
Next Generation Emergency Communications Services
Track Chair: Mark Fletcher
This year saw progress in the rollout of Next Generation 911 networks that support the features and functions that 21st communications devices and networks can provide. PSAPs continued to navigate their way through local migration politics and funding issues, while a few carriers moved forward delivering an initial core backbone. Nationally, FirstNET contracts were awarded to AT&T, while Verizon moved forward building their own. The foundational framework was slowly emerging, and several links in the proverbial ‘chain of care’ were beginning to congeal. The majority of PSAPs began implementing transitional elements allowing the consumption of additional data and context ‘over-the-top’ through commercial IP methods. Life was good, and on a positive track.
Then came the Pandemic of 2020. The commercial world seized, and even Public Safety was stricken with the closure and mass evacuation of some centers. Much like disasters of the past, the world didn’t stop revolving, we simply adapted to new methodologies, some being a bit unconventional but, workable. This brought about a forced adoption of new policies, modified rules, and the first implementations of the ‘work-from-home’ PSAP. Challenges still existed, but work-arounds were developed, and implemented. The new innovators became those who could adapt to new technology and an on-the-fly solution to problems getting the job done with the resources in front of them.
This year’s track will very much build on the technologies discussed in the past, but present them in the context of real-world use cases. Ideally this will be an education of what worked and why, but more importantly what didn’t work, and why not. What better use of technology is there than one that promotes life safety, and spurs innovation and advancement. Join us for some remarkable revelations, on the very track where the seed concept of the Additional Data Repository was planted and flourished forming one of the core elements allowing legacy PSAPs to migrate to the next generation of public safety services, and beyond.
Smart devices continue to flourish in the public space, however their data often remains beyond the reach of those in the Emergency Services community who need, and can utilize it most urgently. The result is a broken link in the communications chain of care. Highly accurate, handset-based geo-location, is first among the many types of information missing in this chain.
This track will continue to highlight new technologies and challenge the operational impact of new concepts. We will discuss the best practices required for Next Generation emergency services in both the public and private sectors. NG911 is now in play, but are we ready?
Internet of Things
Track Chairs: Besma Smida and Alvin Chin
Internet of Things (IoT) has emerged as one of the most trending topics of technology in recent times since it gives rise to a number of trends and services related to different scenarios. Thanks to its multidisciplinary approach, IoT has been phenomenal in revolutionizing many aspects of traditional paradigms. By 2021, the IoT is expected to connect 21 billion smart objects to the network. Applications and their enablement play a critical role in harnessing this connectivity growth and the data generated from these objects.
IT technology development, whether it is Silicon, Multimedia Communication, Devices & Systems, Software, Solutions, System Integration & Services is being augmented through this new IoT paradigm. Vertical industry segments such as manufacturing, healthcare, digital workplace technologies, transportation and public sector continue to heavily invest their resources to capitalize on this burgeoning market which is poised to have an overall impact of many trillion dollars. Through these applications, data collected can foster breakthroughs in decision making, operational efficiencies, safety, and security and have an effect on nearly every aspect of the customer experience.
IoT relies upon a vast confluence of technologies and standards – including sensors and actuators, wearable computing, communications & protocols, network, storage and compute infrastructure, big data and analytics, middleware, security, visualization and control and finally immersive applications.
This track aims at bringing together researchers from academia and industry to contribute with their latest research works from various fields of the state-of-the-art, pertaining to this new IoT paradigm.