A connected classroom system provides for local and remote control and display of media streams. An instructor may, for instance, direct audio/video streams of the instructor to any number of displays and speakers located within a classroom. The system may send and receive control instructions to and from remote classrooms as well, through a network interface. The control instructions may configure any set of presentation devices in any classroom to reproduce any content originating from any source within any classroom. Accordingly, multiple classrooms located in disparate locations may participate in media exchanges arising from any source, including instructors and individual student seating locations within the classrooms.

A system for educational assessment without testing is provided that includes one or more client systems that are connected to a network allowing students or school officials to communicate with an education framework that performs and manages educational assessment. The one or more client systems issue a message to the education framework requesting a task to be performed. The educational assessment is administered independent of one or more educators so as to avoid interruption of instruction time. A server system receives the message and the education framework proceeds to process the contents of the message. The education framework includes a plurality of programming modules being executed on the server system that provides to educators specific information used for the educational assessment based on the contents of the message. The programming modules assist in calculating and determining one or more parameters for the educational assessment of the students as well as providing specific reports to educators as to the progress of the students.

A system for educational assessment without testing is provided that includes one or more client systems that are connected to a network allowing students or school officials to communicate with an education framework that performs and manages educational assessment. The one or more client systems issue a message to the education framework requesting a task to be performed. The educational assessment is administered independent of one or more educators so as to avoid interruption of instruction time. A server system receives the message and the education framework proceeds to process the contents of the message. The education framework includes a plurality of programming modules being executed on the server system that provides to educators specific information used for the educational assessment based on the contents of the message. The programming modules assist in calculating and determining one or more parameters for the educational assessment of the students as well as providing specific reports to educators as to the progress of the students.

An e-learning system has a local classroom with an instructor station and a microphone and a local student station with a microphone, a plurality of remote classrooms with an instructor display and a student station with a microphone, and planar displays and video cameras in each of the classrooms, the remote and local classrooms connected over a network, with a server monitoring feeds and enforcing exclusive states, with sets of video displays, each set dedicated to a remote classroom, arrayed along a line orthogonal to a line between the instructor station and the local student station, with one display in each set facing toward the instructor station, and one display in each set facing toward the local student station.

An e-learning system has a local classroom with an instructor station and a microphone and a local student station with a microphone, a plurality of remote classrooms with an instructor display and a student station with a microphone, and planar displays and video cameras in each of the classrooms, the remote and local classrooms connected over a network, with a server monitoring feeds and enforcing exclusive states, with sets of video displays, each set dedicated to a remote classroom, arrayed along a line orthogonal to a line between the instructor station and the local student station, with one display in each set facing toward the instructor station, and one display in each set facing toward the local student station.

A presentation system (1000) comprises a computer (1), a presentation unit (10) and a plurality of VR/AR terminals (100) for use by repective users (U). The presentation unit (10) comprises a case (11), a PCB (12) accommodated within said case (11) supporting a processor (13) operatively coupled to a memory (14). Networking apparatus (15) allows commincaton between the computer (1), the presentation unit (10) and the VR/AR terminals (100). Presentation software is stored in the memory (14) and ensures that, if required, a predetermined presentation (200) comprising interactive information (202) is transmitted to the VR/AR terminals (100). The presentation software (20) includes communication software (22) that causes the processor (13): (a) to receive from the computer (1) and transmit to the VR/AR terminals (100) commands that cause the VR/AR terminals (100) to output elements (203) of said interactive information (202) that guide the users (U) through the presentation (200)while the presentation (200) is presented to them; and, (b) to receive from the VR/AR terminals (100) and transmit to the computer (1) interactive feedback (204) generated by the users (U) during the presentation (200).

A presentation system (1000) comprises a computer (1), a presentation unit (10) and a plurality of VR/AR terminals (100) for use by repective users (U). The presentation unit (10) comprises a case (11), a PCB (12) accommodated within said case (11) supporting a processor (13) operatively coupled to a memory (14). Networking apparatus (15) allows commincaton between the computer (1), the presentation unit (10) and the VR/AR terminals (100). Presentation software is stored in the memory (14) and ensures that, if required, a predetermined presentation (200) comprising interactive information (202) is transmitted to the VR/AR terminals (100). The presentation software (20) includes communication software (22) that causes the processor (13): (a) to receive from the computer (1) and transmit to the VR/AR terminals (100) commands that cause the VR/AR terminals (100) to output elements (203) of said interactive information (202) that guide the users (U) through the presentation (200)while the presentation (200) is presented to them; and, (b) to receive from the VR/AR terminals (100) and transmit to the computer (1) interactive feedback (204) generated by the users (U) during the presentation (200).

Systems and methods for displaying a large number of participants in videoconference are described. The participant's video feeds are presented in a continuous scrolling manner, such that each participant's video feed is visible for a part of the time. The participants may select the number of videos displayed at one time on a grid. The system and method monitor which video feeds are being, or about to be displayed, and streams the feeds accordingly. The system and method also provide for classroom-like settings by allowing students to “raise their hand” and be “called on” by an instructor. By scrolling though all of the videos in a meeting, people that are running a session can monitor the other participants, permitting them to select someone to focus on, and allows the other participants to see each other, producing a “sense of belonging.”

Systems and methods for displaying a large number of participants in videoconference are described. The participant's video feeds are presented in a continuous scrolling manner, such that each participant's video feed is visible for a part of the time. The participants may select the number of videos displayed at one time on a grid. The system and method monitor which video feeds are being, or about to be displayed, and streams the feeds accordingly. The system and method also provide for classroom-like settings by allowing students to “raise their hand” and be “called on” by an instructor. By scrolling though all of the videos in a meeting, people that are running a session can monitor the other participants, permitting them to select someone to focus on, and allows the other participants to see each other, producing a “sense of belonging.”

A hydration level measurement system and method comprising a technology embedded scale that rewards individuals for drinking an appropriate amount of liquid throughout the day. In an example embodiment, a reusable water bottle is equipped with an RFID tag and assigned to an individual so that the user's hydration level may be tracked. The RFID tag logs the individual's access as well as “before-filling” and “after-filling” weights of the bottle when placed on the scale. A computer screen acknowledges the bottle's owner, and then indicates the increased weight and how many points will be awarded to the user using an ounces-to-points conversion. Data may be transferred from the scale computer to a web server and aggregated at the server from multiple scales for multiple “hydration challenges.” A web application receives and processes user requests to display data related to each hydration challenge such as the current scores of the participants.