Satellite Communications for Tele-Medicine and Tele-Education
- Paper number
IAC-05-B3.3.06
- Author
Prof. Otto Koudelka, Graz University of Technology, Austria
- Year
2005
- Abstract
Satellite communciations systems have proven to be very useful for tele-medicine and tele-education applications. Broadband connections can be provided in point-to-point, star and meshed network topologies. This facilitates the transfer of large files, such as radiology images. High definition video (MPEG-2 coded) supports e.g. the transmission of an on-going surgery. MPEG-4 video is suitable for tele-consultancy among medical experts using video conferencing facilities. The Institute has been active in this field since 1996 (with the participation in ESA’s first tele-medicine trial SHARED). Based on the original developments, satellite communications systems have been designed, tailored to the specific needs of physicians. Emphasis has been put on low-cost solutions. Three systems have been developed and tested with real users in close collaboration with the Central Hospital in Graz: a)a meshed VSAT system which can interconnect up to 500 terminals, supporting data rates of up to 4 Mbit/s per station b)a point-to-point system compliant with DVB-S in the forward and return link with data rates up to 8 Mbit/s c)a hybrid system using DVB-S in the forward link and a THURAYA satellite phone in the return link. Easily depoloyable road- and air-transportable terminals with dish sizes between 1.2 and 1.5 m have been utilised. Recent successful demonstrations of the various systems include the live presentation of a new ENT surgery method to the Mayo Clinic in the US via satellite. In parallel to broadcast-quality video, the relevant computer tomography images were transferred. The experts in the US had the possibility to ask questions to the surgeons in Graz afterwards, using the interactive video facilities. In November 2004 tele-lectures were given from Graz to a workshop in Kathmandu/Nepal, using the hybrid DVB-S/THURAYA system. This showed the advantages of a low-cost solution which could be set up within a very short period of time. The paper presents and discusses the different system architectures, their advantages and drawbacks as well as the different applications areas in tele-medicine and tele-education. Special attention is paid to \"all-IP\" solutions, where all kind of data are transported using the Internet protocol suite. While many terrestrial solutions face problems with quality of service (QoS), the presented satellite-based services have been designed to support QoS guarantees.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-05-B3.3.06.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
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