Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
collaboration-communications hierarchy.
Asynchronous Communications
The most common form of asynchronous electronic communications in bioinformatics is e-mail and its
derivatives, including bulletin boards and newsgroups, Web postings, online publications, streaming
(pre-recorded) video, and fax. The real benefit of asynchronous communications—minimal disruption
of workflow—is also its main limitation. The recipient of an asynchronous message, such as an e-
mail, has the option of viewing the message in his or her own time, or simply ignoring it. On the
other hand, the technical infrastructure requirements for asynchronous electronic communications
are modest. A wireless, self-contained PDA is all that is needed to send and receive e-mail through
the Internet or private network.
Synchronous Communications
Synchronous communication generally requires a more robust technical infrastructure than does
asynchronous communication, especially in terms of bandwidth to support a higher level of
interactivity. Video conferencing, instant messaging, and chat rooms are examples of synchronous
communication that are useful in bioinformatics R&D. Although the telephone is the popular real-time
communications device, real-time videoconferencing technology is increasingly popular because of its
affordability and ability to minimize the time-consuming travel associated with face-to-face meetings.
The technology required to support real-time videoconferencing over the Internet or an intranet can
involve little more than installing an inexpensive digital camera and software driver for each
networked workstations that will be conferenced in. These systems are typically used for their video
capabilities; the audio component of the communications is carried by a telephone. Although
inexpensive videoconferencing systems produce somewhat jerky images up to a few hundred pixels
in height and width on each workstation screen, they provide an enhanced level of communication
over a traditional telephone conversation. Full-screen, high-resolution videoconferencing that can
provide more than a talking head requires a much more expensive, high-bandwidth
videoconferencing system. What's more, these systems, which can cost more than a high-end
workstation, require several dedicated ISDN lines or other high-bandwidth connectivity to the
Internet or other network for adequate performance.
Asynchronous Collaboration
Technologically, asynchronous collaboration can be supported by e-mail and voicemail
communications exchanged according to a prearranged schedule or on an as-needed basis. That is,
collaboration can be viewed as a layer of management or process control over a basic
communications infrastructure. For example, one of the most significant formal asynchronous
collaborations in bioinformatics is the submission of protein structures to the Protein Data Bank
(PDB). Although collaborators could simply e-mail their results to PDB staff, quality control
communications issues wouldn't be able to be properly addressed in a timely manner with manual
methods. Instead, collaborators are required to use the Auto Dep Input Tool (ADIT) utility provided
by the Research Collaboratory for Structural Bioinformatics (RCSB). ADIT accepts X-ray, NMR, and
electron microscopy structure data, validates the data, and creates reports detailing the quality of the
submission. A benefit of technologies that support asynchronous one-to-many collaborations like
making submissions to the PDB is that significant collaborations can be established with minimal
demands on the contributor's time and resources.
Synchronous Collaboration
Because the key technological issues in synchronous collaboration are time, reliability, and
bandwidth, this type of collaboration requires a more robust synchronous communications
infrastructure. Furthermore, the ideal system supports work-centered interactivity that supercedes
what is possible through simple telephone communications, even if supplemented by desktop
