Networked Performances and Natural Interaction via LOLA: Low Latency High Quality A/V Streaming SystemInformation Technologies for Performing Arts, Media Access, and Entertainment

We present LOLA (LOw LAtency audio visual streaming system), a system for distributed performing arts interaction over advanced packet networks. It is intended to operate on high performance networking infrastructures, and is based on low latency audio/video acquisition hardware and on the integration and optimization of audio/video data acquisition, presentation and transmission. The extremely low round trip delay of the transmitted data makes the system suitable for remote musical education, real time distributed musical performance and performing arts activities, but in general also for any human-human interactive distributed activity in which timing and responsiveness are critical factors for the quality of the interaction. The experimentation conducted so far with professional music performers and skilled music students, on geographical distances up to 3500 Km, demonstrated its effectiveness and suitability for distance musical interaction, even when professional players are involved and very "tempo sensitive" classical baroque music repertoire is concerned.