Real situations of wearable computers used for video conferencing - and implications for terminal and network design

Within five years it will be possible to transmit realtime high quality audio and video from almost anywhere to anywhere. With wireless videoconferencing equipment this information could also be transmitted while the users move. This is the most demanding scenario for network operators. If the network is dimensioned for this, all applications should work. Based on case studies in the offshore oil business and road construction industry, remote inspection situations were studied to answer the question: What are the real situations for such an application and the implications these situations have for the terminal and for the network? It was found that the situations with the highest perceived cost-benefit were ‘Decision support’, ‘Guidance and demonstration’ and ‘Work planning’. These situations gave requirements for the terminal that has now been built. The terminal should have access to a digital broadband network that is reachable everywhere and that has characteristics that support person-to-person communication in both two party and multiparty configurations.