April 21, 2009 –
Discovery Fellow Paul Marc demonstrates an attached dermascope that scans the surface of the skin, magnifying the image for better viewing by a doctor using the system.
A software package developed by CALIT2 researchers that can transform laptops and PDAs into teleconferencing or telemedicine apparatuses has a new name.
The interactive platform initially known as “HBox” is now “Telios” – Telepresence Interactive Operating System – to better reflect its wide range of capabilities.
Telemedicine has allowed large institutions to communicate with each other, but now, the Telios software package advances the idea of personal telemedicine, bringing healthcare into patient homes and smaller community clinics. Using off-the-shelf hardware and the Internet, medical specialists can consult with patients in their own homes, regardless of the distance, while receiving continuous real-time updates from monitoring devices connected to the system.
Telios functions on any Web 2.0-enabled computing device, making possible video conferencing as well as monitoring and control of remote devices, including heart-rate, blood pressure or glucose monitors, scales for weight control, and sensors that monitor mobility.
Because the system is constructed on the highly popular Web 2.0 platform, it works with all browsers, including Windows, Linux and Mac, as well as Web-enabled cell phones. “Web 2.0 is an incredible standard that ties together video, animation, interactive applications, programming – everything,” said Mark Bachman, project team leader.
Telios supports full multimedia and rich graphical interfaces, and requires no configuration or software installation. It delivers real-time video conferencing, real-time instrument telemetry, and real-time data collection and delivery.
Researchers are also developing more sophisticated versions of Telios that can be used in lieu of home entertainment units. The Telios Home version will provide access to TV, DVDs, music and the Internet in addition to high-quality video conferencing and remote monitoring and control of devices.
The project is partially supported by the Verizon Foundation, the California Consumer Protection Foundation and the UC Discovery Program.
— Anna Lynn Spitzer
