An Iowa State associate professor is trying to help school administrators block out objectionable material from the Internet.

Doug Jacobson, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, is the creator of the ScreenDoor, a management tool that permits easy control of the sites children are and aren’t allowed to visit as they use the Internet.

“It’s a device that helps schools manage what the students can get to on the Internet,” Jacobson said. “It helps them block out questionable sites.”

Jacobson said the ScreenDoor plugs into the network and watches the computers to see with what and whom the computers are commuicating. When it sees something it shouldn’t, the ScreenDoor shuts down the connection and won’t allow the computer to talk anymore.

“It came out of a need we saw with students basically running across material that’s quite objectionable,” Jacobson said.

Jacobson said his own daughter was surfing on the web one day when she ran into that type of objectionable material. “It’s real easy to do,” he said.

The primary market for the ScreenDoor is for school administrators in grades kindergarten through 12th grade.

There is already software that has been developed for the home market.

Jacobson started working on the product a year and a half ago and beta-testing of the technology began last month.

He is planning to sell ScreenDoor through his newly-formed company, MidAmerica Networking, Inc. The company is located at the ISU Research Park.

“It helps the schools manage their education mission by keeping kids away from things that are objectionable,” Jacobson said. Teachers will now be able to control what sites children can see.

The ScreenDoor was developed with funding from ISU’s Center for Advanced Technology Development.

“It will keep younger kids from wandering around aimlessly,” he said. The unit will cost about $1,800.

“It’s been an interesting experience to go from creation all the way to product development,” Jacobson said. “It gives a lot of insight into what we teach our students in product development.”