Visiophony, a technology which brings people closer together The increasing integration image in long distance communication represents a new form of proximity in human relations. Far from being a simple anecdotal function Visiophony opens the way to major uses not only in the professional universe but also in the social sphere. True to its vocation of bringing people closer and its culture of innovation, France Télécom has developed different technical tools and innovative services thanks to which Visiophony has today made its entrance into our daily life. What? How? When? From now, there is no longer any need to be physically present to look the person you are speaking to in the eyes. At home, you just need to equip yourself with a video phone to obtain image as well as the sound. The speakers see each other on their screens during the conversation. If they wish to they can render themselves 'invisible' at any moment by deactivating the image function to preserve their privacy. This 'Visiophonic' relationship can be established by intermediary of any of our usual communication tools which we use daily at home or in the workplace: PC via internet, mobile phone, PDA, television.A palette of uses which opens the way to a multitude of services in all domains of daily life. A health problem occurs? Connection to the emergency service allows the patient to have a 'visible' consultation with a doctor to evaluate the degree of gravity. Assistance for an elderly person? A permanent liaison with a tele assistance service contributes to attenuating the isolation and monitoring the state of health of the person. Immobilisation causing a prolonged absence from school? An interactive service can follow up with the child to continue his schooling at home. Business to conclude or enquiries to make with an enterprise which is located far away? Thanks to 'Téléguichets', multimedia connections installed close to home, the client can be put in direct relation with the operator for the service concerned. He sees who he is connected to, speaks to him, hears him and responds with the impression of being face to face with the speaker. This interactive audiovisual relation creates convivial and spontaneous conditions for communication. The client immediately obtains information and advice required and can receive any necessary document which he requires. In isolated zones, particularly in towns with populations of less than 5000 people, this tool gives citizens the added advantage of avoiding long trips. It provides the means to establish close communications with businesses such as banks, insurance companies, administrative services. In companies, small or large, the 'Visiophony' videoconference service allows for the simple organisation of working meetings without any concern about the distances which may separate the participants. Participants from five different geographic areas can be regrouped and share, in real time, information and documents with their colleagues or clients. These functions, while erasing the problem of distance, are favourable to collaborative work and the quality of professional communication, increasing reactivity and limiting expenses due to travel. Visual communication between different sites can be made permanent thanks to a Téléprésence wall, of which the quality of image is so high that speakers who are hundreds of kilometres away have the impression that they are physically beside eachother. Three of these France Telecom R&D sites (in Issy-les-Moulineaux, Lannion and Rennes) are equipped with this 'magic' wall. The range of uses offered by 'Visiophony' is particularly large. Also accessible on mobile terminals, its use can be envisaged in any place and any situation. Back to top These new uses are derived from the different services proposed by France Télécom: Wanadoo Visio, visiophony for internet subscribers; My Visio line, visiophony added to My Line; videoconference for companies; Ville Orange, visiophony on mobile terminals.The videoconference services of France Télécom aim to manage communications between users of different networks (telephone lines, mobile, internet, company networks.) in a private or professional capacity. The implementation of these different tools depends on the services and the innovative terminals, high performance and flexibility, essential factors for the success of videoconference services. France Télécom has developed service platforms which integrate industrial equipment available on the market and internal developments which, combined, provide original functionalities. These platforms provide the environment for testing and rapidly implementing these original services. France Télécom has also developed a software solution, eConf which provides the means to develop videoconference terminals adapted to the needs of each service. In its PC version, the use of eConf simply requires a computer with a microphone, loud speakers, a webcam; and a local network connection or an ADSL line. Although it offers a professional level of quality in terms of image and sound, eConf does not require a high level of configuration. Ultra-adaptable, it can be configured to suit specific clients' needs, the software is compatible with various different terminals: from PDAs to PCs, via webtabs. The eConf technology adapts itself to all connection speeds between 28,8 Kbytes/s and 6 Mbytes/s, thereby allowing for the coverage of a large range of services, from mobile telephone to Téléprésence wall. The Visiophony services are accessible in both a flexible and diverse manner according to the kind of installation that the user has, and in the future will be accessible via the intermediary of all existing communication equipment. The 'Téléguichet' services are based around three principal organs: the interactive video window based on eConf software, an intranet or ADSL network solution and a connection service akin to a call centre. The ultra-natural restitution of both image and sound give the user the impression that the user is really in the presence of the speaker. The Téléprésence wall is also based on eConf software. A specific method of filming, allied with a disposition of mirrors to resituate an image which is incredibly realistic, perfect timing of image and sound make this a videoconference tool of the highest standard. Apart from the conception of the terminal itself, this project necessitated several technical innovations, in particular sonar spatialisation. Thanks to a unique acoustic antenna, the different sonar sources perceived by the user are localised with precision, like in the cinema, but in real time, which reinforces the sensation of real presence. Back to top All of the right conditions are united for the integration of image in telecommunication services. The increasing use of broad band, technological evolutions and the availability of low cost equipment, users' expression of their requirements in terms of interactivity are all factors which indicate that the rapid expansion of these new modes of communication is imminent. Multiple creations and experiments carried out by France Télécom R&D over several years show that the prospect of developments are interesting in domains as varied as business enterprises, teaching, health, pastimes.In all, the whole social field. Creations such as the Téléprésence wall have already been industrialised and commercialised. A palette of services proposed by France Télécom has already progressed past the stage of experimentation and is today accessible to specific markets: - 'eVisiophony', a service destined for use by businesses; - 'educavisio', a service dedicated to the domain of teaching and equally developed for hospitals to allow sick children to keep up with their academic learning; - 'Web Sourd', experimental service in partnership with the ANPE (National agency for employment) and the CAF (Family allocations service) to offer a translation service for the deaf signing language via visiophony; - 'Wanadoo-Visio', a visiophony service dedicated to 'Wanadooiens' who have an ADSL subscription - 'Chamade', for the Comfort@home project a medical tele-monitoring service to look after and follow up on sick or isolated people in their own homes. - 'Ado Club', service for adolescents, providing instant messaging, games, video clips and visiophony. - 'Ville Orange' is an experiment which aims at providing a wide range of multimedia services including videoconference from a mobile phone. - 'My Visio Line' will introduce visiophony services to the general public thanks to a package of easy to use services, accessible via television or video phone. In parallel France Télécom is implementing continuity between all of these services, in order to ensure a simplicity of use for their clients as well as a permanent availability of image no matter their situation or activity. An abundance of projects which prove that, now more than ever, communication between people remains the priority and the objective of France Télécom. Back to top