The purpose of MIT/MCCA collaboration is to provide a forum for the development theory and practice, leading to an open, modular and scalable computer architecture that enables convention, exhibition and meeting software applications to inter-operate. This architecture would allow trade shows and associations to manage content, control operations and transmit multimedia, , integrating emerging technology with legacy applications to maximize existing investment.

The project’s objectives are threefold:

•Create a consortium that brings together key players, focused on shaping a new operations paradigm for the industry

• Undertake step-by-step analyses of convention, exhibition and meeting service unmet needs, identifying gaps that could be addressed by new network service applications utilizing standard protocols

• Implement sponsored reference-project research to provide industry models, enabling less costly, flexible, and scalable technology