Now e-learning solutions on handheld devices

Pune based Brainvisa Technologies has developed e-learning solu-tions for hand held devices. Supam Maheshwari, CEO, Brainvisa Technologies said, “Even as computer based acc-ess to the Internet and intranet formed the basis of most 

e-learning solutions, smart phones and PDAs could pote-ntially provide even more con-venient access to learners.” 

Brainvisa has also developed courses on handhelds for a US based healthcare company, “Most people have to undergo refresher courses or upgrade their skills to earn certifications to ensure growth in their ca-reers. Therefore, people could even spend the seemingly fruit-less hours at an airport comple-ting their courses on handhelds,” added Maheshwari. 

Brainvisa has also developed interactive animated content to provide an engaging learning experience using the handheld devices. A repository of learning interactions used in various courses to increase learners’ inv-olvement in the course has also been included. This can be reused across various courses. 

Alternatively, Brainvisa helps clients to develop custom templates to suit specific requirements. Every learner can view a list of courses assigned and accordingly go through his or her assigned training plan. The screen would have hyper links to the respective courses. Moreover, the learner could track progress and accordingly check his or her weak and strong areas. Until now, text and simple graphics were all that could be delivered on a handheld device. But Brainvisa has used streaming audio and video in some cases. 

The company has used tools such as Macromedia Flash Player 5 to put rich e-learning applications on handheld devi-ces. It also used AppForge Mo-bile VB in order to enable the creation of media-rich e-lear-ning applications, the Nokia mobile Internet toolkit that is a complete software simulator for developing WAP and MMS applications. Brainvisa has so far developed two large courses for doctors and surgeons consisting of two hours each. This could also find applications in the banking sector and law. Started by four first-generation entrepreneurs from IIT and IIM, Brainvisa is funded by Infinity Ventures.

Nanda Kasabe 

(CNS)