Fiddlehead™
Fiddlehead™ is a computer sharing technology that works with any modern desktop computer, leveraging excess computing power to run up to five individual workstations without any loss in performance. Fiddlehead brings K-12 schools closer to achieving their highest priority initiatives, such as better student-to-computer ratios, project-based learning, and lab-based learning, while significantly reducing their computer hardware acquisition costs. Fiddlehead's COSMOS™ technology has the power to run multiple operating systems (Windows XP, Windows Vista, Linux, etc.) simultaneously and is extremely easy to maintain. Fiddlehead is a true CPU sharing technology that enables all connected work stations to perform exactly as they would if each workstation had a dedicated computer terminal.
Teacher-Centric Technology
Integration of technology into the classroom can be a daunting task, especially when teachers are unfamiliar or uncomfortable with the technology. Fiddlehead is the answer to this problem because it doesn't require learning any new technology or skills. Each Fiddlehead workstation runs and performs identically to an individual computer. In addition, teacher-centric features are built into the product:
- Teacher Control™—This unique feature gives teachers complete visibility and control over each workstation. Not only does it allow teachers to monitor each student's activities from a central location, this tool also empowers teachers to take control of an individual workstation, or all workstations at once with the simple click of a mouse. A teacher can set the monitors in their classroom to all display the same workstation to show the whole class one student's work. Teachers can also turn all of the monitors to a suspended state, without shutting down any applications, to bring focus to the front of the room.
- Search to Teach™ is a customized search engine that identifies free educational software for use in the classroom. Using topic search terms, such as astronomy or geometry, teachers can easily find hundreds of programs for instructional use at no cost. Each application is teacher reviewed, age appropriate, and subject approved for use in the classroom.
Better IT Management
Fiddlehead can cut IT staff management time by 80% because of the reduced number of PCs required to run a classroom full of workstations.
- IT Pushdown™—This feature allows an IT professional to configure and deploy software for all connected Fiddlehead computers in minutes, instead of days.
- Virtual CD-ROMs allow several students to work from one CD. Because of Fiddlehead's collaborative configuration, a CD only needs to be loaded onto one machine for use at multiple workstations.
Green Technology
In addition to reducing hardware acquisition costs and IT maintenance costs, Fiddlehead also reduces energy expenses. Fiddlehead can typically lower energy costs by up to 60% because so many fewer PCs are necessary to run the same number of workstations.
- Fiddlehead also provides a significant reduction in electronic component waste and cooling requirements, so it has a much lower carbon footprint than traditional PC setups.
- This technology can also be reused, meaning that when a computer reaches the end of its operational life, the Fiddlehead card and software can be removed and reinstalled in a new computer.