February 13, 2003

Check out campus spots on Webcam

What is believed to be the world’s first Webcam focused on a coffee maker at Cambridge University. (Staff scattered on different floors kept a remote watch on the communal pot, so journeys to fill up weren’t fruitless.)

Webcams have since spread to ski resorts and tropical beaches, construction sites, famous landmarks, peregrine falcon nests, airports, museums, other universities, and now, with the launch of two “Wildcams,” to Northwestern.

The Wildcam site was officially launched in January and can be accessed at www.northwestern.edu/wildcam/.

One Webcam shows the Rock, a University landmark located near University Hall, and the other shows a view of Lake Michigan and the Chicago skyline, looking south from the School of Communication’s Theatre and Interpretation Center. Both provide an image around the clock, although viewing can be difficult at night.

“When the idea of a University Webcam first came up, we investigated various locations,” said Staci Roberts, director of Web communications in the department of university relations. “We decided that the most interesting spot to start with was the Rock, because of the activity and memories surrounding it. Alumni are fond of the Rock, students paint it and people gather there for various reasons.”

The Rock Wildcam is the official University Webcam and is managed by University Relations. Roberts reports that Webcams at other locations are being considered. The Lake Michigan Wildcam is maintained by the School of Communication.

It is recommended that viewers have at least a 56 Kbps (kilobits per second) connection and a JavaScript compatible browser to view the Wildcams.

The Rock Wildcam’s image is refreshed every five seconds for five minutes. In addition, time-lapse videos are available of events such as freshman move-in weekend and winter’s first snowfall. (In order to view the videos, QuickTime must be installed on your computer.)

The Lake Michigan Wildcam’s image is refreshed every minute for five minutes. In addition, a live stream is available and requires Windows Media Player.

Anyone interested in establishing a Webcam on University property is required to meet certain guidelines, which currently are being developed. For more information, contact Staci Roberts at (847) 467-5209 or scr@northwestern.edu.