Telepresence NAME: Abstract This report will be give us an idea of how Telepresence is implemented in different sectors and the

use of it. It will also give us a brief idea how telepresence leads us towards a sustainable environment and a better living. Also, we will discuss the new improvements in the 21st century. A. INTRODUCTION Telepresence is a set of technologies which give someone the opportunity to feel as if they were here, to give an appearance that they were here, or have an effect, at a place other than their original location. Telepresence needs that the senses of the user are supplied with a strong energy so that they can give the feeling of being in that another location. Additionally, the user may be given the ability to affect the remote location. In this case, the user's position, movements, actions, voice, etc. may be sensed, transmitted and duplicated in the remote location to bring about this effect. Therefore information may be travelling in both directions between the user and the remote location. a conference room in an office suite (which are what most systems are used for today). [4] Hilton Hotels had originally made a deal with them to begin installing them in their hotels throughout the United States and other countries, but usage was low. The idea lost momentum and Hilton eventually backed out. They later began to focus on business oriented telepresence systems. Shareholders eventually held enough stock to take over the company, which ultimately led to its collapse. David Allen purchased all of the assets of TeleSuite and then called the new company Destiny Conferencing. [4] Although they survived, the idea did not truly catch on until other mega-corporations jumped onboard such as Polycom, HP, and Cisco released similar systems around the mid 2000's. Polycom eventually bought out Destiny Conferencing and now carries the TeleSuite telepresence system now known as the Real Presence Experience (RPX). [4] C. BENEFITS OF TELEPRESENCE Many medium companies have seen the benefits of telepresence used within their organization. So the use of this technology is obtainable today in the field of teleconferencing. The benefits of telepresence is that there will be less travel for the meeting the involved people have to attend. They could save a lot of time and money on flight if they are planning to fly long distances. Other expenses would be the amount of money they will spend on hotels and the costs of meals if the meeting was scheduled for several days. Telepresence technology allows for group meeting, where small groups can work together on targeted areas of the overall conference instead of working individually on the whole project. Moreover, telepresence has the ability to change the way a company runs in terms of project

B.

HISTORY

The first commercially successful telepresence company, Teleport (which was later changed to TeleSuite), was founded in 1993 by David Allen and Harold Williams. The original intent was to develop a system that could allow families to interact across great distances without the hassle or costliness of flying. The first systems (which they called TeleSuites) looked more like something out of an upper class home rather than

completion. A few years ago, project were completed over a longer period of time, while nowadays this technology allows businesses to work quickly on projects by removing barriers of time and location. D. IMPLEMENTATIONS If a particular user wants to have a persuasive telepresence experience, many brand new technologies are required. The Cisco telepresence Meeting solution consist of the Cisco telepresence technology such as cameras, lighting arrays, microphones, speakers and endpoints that consist of one or more 65-inch plasma screens, and in some models, one-half of a virtual conference table. It also comprises of the Cisco Telepresence Manager, which will provide event management, help desk and consolidated device status repoting. It allows integration to enterprise groupware for easy scheduling and launching of Cisco Telepresence calls. Cisco TelePresence endpoints consist of two models, designed for different numbers of users and different size environments: Cisco TelePresence 3000-A virtual table with seats for 6 on each side, including three 65-inch plasma screens, speakers, microphones, and lighting Cisco TelePresence 1000-Designed to be flushmounted along a wall space for easy use in smaller footprint areas (for example, individual offices, bank branches, lobbies, doctor's offices) includes one 65-inch plasma screen, speakers, a microphone, and lighting [1] To provide a telepresence experience, technologies are required that implement the human sensory elements of vision, sound, and manipulation. Vision A minimum system usually includes visual feedback. Ideally, the entire field of view of the user is filled with a view of the remote location,

and the viewpoint corresponds to the movement and orientation of the user's head. In this way, it differs from television or cinema, where the viewpoint is out of the control of the viewer. [3] In order to achieve this, the user may be provided with either a very large (or wraparound) screen, or small displays mounted directly in front of the eyes. The latter provides a particularly convincing 3D sensation. The movements of the user's head must be sensed, and the camera must mimic those movements accurately and in real time. This is important to prevent unintended motion sickness. [3] Some other way to improve the future by using telepresence displays, compared by some to holograms, is a projected display technology featuring life-sized imagery.

Sound Usually sound is the simplest feeling to put in practice with the highest commitment, based on the foundation telephone technology for more than 130 years. For a long period of time, very high-fidelity sound equipments has been on the market, with stereo sound which has been more convincing than mono. Manipulation The skill you need to manipulate a remote object or environment plays an important role in real telepresence systems and can be employed in large numbers of ways depending on the needs of the person who using it. Normally, the movements of the users hands are detected by wired gloves, inertial sensors or complete spatial position sensors. A robot which is located in the remote site then copies those detected movements accurately. This ability is also known as teleoperation. The more closely the robot re-creates the form factor of the human hand, the greater the sense of telepresence

Haptic teleoperation refers to a system that provides some sort of tactile force feedback to the user, so the user feels some approximation of the weight, firmness, size, or texture of the remote objects manipulated by the robot. [3] Network For, Cisco TelePresence, they use standard IP technology organized in corporations today and runs on an integrated voice, video, and data network. The system supports high-quality, realtime voice and video communications with branch offices using broadband connections. It offers capabilities for ensuring quality of service, security, reliability, and high availability for highbandwidth applications such as video, particularly high-definition video, which can require 1 Mbps to 5 Mbps, depending on the resolution. Hardware-Optimized Environment This structure consists of prupose-built office furnitures which include cameras and displays, lighting, speaker, microphones and projection capability into some well-designed table for bigger rooms, or in smaller pattern, into existing office furniture, Degree of implementation: immersive vs. adaptive or lite Telepresence is a matter of degree. Gartner notes that telepresence solutions differ in degree of implementation from "immersive" through "adaptive" to "lite" solutions. At the top are immersive solutions where the environments at both ends are highly controlled (and often the same) with respect to lighting, acoustics, decor and furniture, thereby giving all the participants the impression they are together at the same table in the same room, hence the "immersive" label. [3] Adaptive telepresence result in using the same technology, but the milieu at the far ends are not highly controlled, henceforth the always differ.

In terms of integration of technology and control of environments, adaptive solutions differ from telepresence lite solutions. Where adaptive solutions use a managed service compared to telepresence lite solutions that uses components that someone must add to the technology. Virtual presence (virtual reality) Telepresence also refers to a character who is interacting with another one live, real place, and is completely different from virual presence. In virtual presence the user will have the impression that he is in a simulated environment. Both telepresence and virtual presence count on similar user-interface equipment, and share some common features. The main difference is the individual on the other end where a real environment in telepresence versus a computer in the case of immersive virtual reality. E. APPLICATIONS Teleconferencing Instead of travelling long distances, in regards of having a one-on-on meeting, it is now possible to teleconference using video phone. Every member of the meeting can see all other members on a screen and can talk to each other like they were in the same room. This brings huge time and cost benefits, and a sustainable environment.

A good

telepresence strategy puts the human factors first, focusing on visual collaboration

solutions that closely replicate the brain's innate preferences for interpersonal communications, separating from the unnatural "talking heads" experience of traditional videoconferencing. These cues include lifesize participants, fluid motion, accurate flesh tones and the appearance of true eye contact. This is already a well-established technology, used by many businesses today. [8] Connecting Communities Telepresence can be used to establish a sense of shared presence or shared space among geographically separated members of a group. Subsea Work Deep water diving operations cost a lot of money due to safety regulations, time spent in decompression, and also support vessel costs. Telepresece systems and teleoperation for repair and regular maintenance would realize important cost benefits and also remove divers from unsafe environments. Hazardous Environments There are many other applications in different situations where humans are exposed to extremely dangerous environment are considered as appropriate candidates for telespresence. Some examples are: Mining, bomb, disposal, military operations, and rescue of victims from fire, toxic atmospheres, or even hostage situations. Pipeline inspection Pipes that have a small radius or that cannot be reached for inspection can be observed using pipeline video inspection. Remote surgery The possibility of being able to project the knowledge and the physical skill of a surgeon over long distances has many attractions. Thus, again there is considerable research underway in the subject. (Locally controlled robots are currently

being used for joint replacement surgery as they are more precise in milling bone to receive the joints.) The armed forces have an obvious interest since the combination of telepresence, teleoperation, and telerobotics can potentially save the lives of battle casualties by allowing them prompt attention in mobile operating theatres by remote surgeons. [8] Lately, teleconferencing has been used in medicine like, telemedicine or telematics, they employ audio-visual exchange, to gain performance of real time remote surgical operations and has been demonstrated in Regensburg, Germany in 2002. In addition to audio-visual data, the transfer of haptic (tactile) information has also been demonstrated in telemedicine . Education The benefits of enabling schoolchildren to take an active part in exploration have been shown by the JASON and the NASA Ames Research Centre programmes. The ability of a pupil, student, or researcher to explore an otherwise inaccessible location is a very attractive proposition. For example locations where the passage of too many people is harming the immediate environment or the artefacts themselves, e.g. undersea exploration of coral reefs, ancient Egyptian tombs and more recent works of art. [7] A research is being carried out to find out the use of telepresence to provide professional development to teachers. Some research has proven that one of the most useful forms of teacher professional development is coaching and apprenticeship. So the use of telepresence shows promising for making the move to teacher professional development practical. Entertainment Telepresence systems could be included into theme or natural parks to give observers the opportunity to travel through the coral reefs or explore underground caves.

In amusement parks the old and disable people will be able to experience the excitement of live roller coaster rides without risk. In video games, users can work together with the use of telepresence, sharing to interact one human with another. So, this means if one user shakes the object, the remote object also shakes.

So, assesses quickly led to its acceptable usage at educational facilities for the deaf community. Coupled with similar high-quality videophones introduced by other electronics manufacturers, the availability of high speed Internet, and sponsored video relay services authorized by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission in 2002, VRS services for the deaf underwent rapid growth in that country. [10]

Advertising and sales Tour operators and property agents could use telepresence to allow potential customers to sample holiday locations and view properties remotely making commitments. Telepresence Art In 1998, Diller and Scofidio created the "Refresh", an Internet-based art installation that juxtaposed a live web camera with recorded videos staged by professional actors. Each image was accompanied with a fictional narrative which made it difficult to distinguish which was the live web camera. In 1993, Eduardo Kac and Ed Bennett created a telepresence installation "Ornitorrinco on the Moon", for the international telecommunication arts festival "Blurred Boundaries" (Entgrenzte Grenzen II). It was coordinated by Kulturdata, in Graz, Austria, and was connected around the world. [8]

This image illustrates a deaf person at his work place communicating to a hearing person. Present day usage The use of such video equipment in the current evolution, the deaf, the hard-of-hearing and speech-impaired can successfully be in touch between themselves and with hearing person using sign languages. The United States and many other countries companies provide Video Relay Services(VRS). Telecommunication equipment can be used to talk to others via a sign language interpreter, who uses a conventional telephone at the same time to communicate with the deaf person's party.Video equipment is also used to do on-site sign language translation via Video Remote Interpreting (VRI). The relative low cost and widespread availability of 3G mobile phone technology with video calling capabilities have given deaf and speech-impaired users a greater ability to communicate with the same ease as others. Some wireless operators have even started free sign language gateways.

F.

21st Century Improvements

Considerate improvements in video call quality of service for the deaf occurred in the United States in the 2003, when a company called Sorenson Media Inc., developed its VP-100 model standalone videophone specifically for the deaf people. It was designed to output video to the users television in order to pay less in terms of acquisition, and to offer remote control and a powerful video codec for different video quality.

Sign language interpretation services via VRS or by VRI are useful in the present-day where one of the parties is deaf, hard-of-hearing or speechimpaired (mute). In such cases the interpretation flow is normally within the same principal language, such as French Sign Language (LSF) to spoken French, Spanish Sign Language (LSE) to spoken Spanish, British Sign Language (BSL) to spoken English, and American Sign Language (ASL) also to spoken English (since BSL and ASL are completely distinct to each other), and so on. [10] Multilingual sign language interpreters, who can also translate as well across principal languages (such as to and from SSL, to and from spoken English), are also available, albeit less frequently. Such activities involve considerable effort on the part of the translator, since sign languages are distinct natural languages with their own construction, semantics and syntax, different from the aural version of the same principal language. [10] With video interpreting, sign language interpreters work remotely with live video and audio feeds, so that the interpreter can see the deaf or mute party, and converse with the hearing party, and vice versa. Much like telephone interpreting, video interpreting can be used for situations in which no on-site interpreters are available. However, video interpreting cannot be used for situations in which all parties are speaking via telephone alone. VRS and VRI interpretation requires all parties to have the necessary equipment. Some advanced equipment enables interpreters to control the video camera remotely, in order to zoom in and out or to point the camera toward the party that is signing. [10]

The large vision for Telepresence is to offer virtual experiences in various environments, from business into the home, with applications that would not have otherwise been possible with traditional video technologies. If you think of a doctors appointment, a shopping journey, or a visit between kids and grandparents without leaving the office or even your home, telepresence brings such an amazing technology that would be a revolution in face-to-face conferencing.

REFERENCES [1]http://www.seminarprojects.com/Threadtelepresence [2]http://sipstuff.teigre.com/2011/05/what-istelepresence.html [3]http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/tel epresence [4]http://atwiki.assistivetech.net/index.php/Telepr esence#History [6]http://www.eyenetwork.com/telepresence/ [7]http://www.gotelepresencenow.com/benefitsof-telepresence.html [8]http://www.telepresence.strath.ac.uk/applicatio ns.htm

E. CONCLUSION The Telepresence Technology overcomes almost all disadvantages that the videoconferencing systems have.

[9]http://www.juliantrubin.com/encyclopedia/elect ronics/telepresence.html [10] http://www.zampwiki.com/?t=Webcam