Big Ideas call for Big Bandwith
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology recently hosted a "big ideas" panel during their EmTech (Emerging Technologies) conference, highlighting what is on the horizon for information technology companies, and the high speed Internet connections they necessitate.
The ideas range from technologies that replicate original images into 3-D virtual images that can be touched, high speed Internet technologies that support huge amounts of data -- including collaborative video -- and developments to make using technologies more intuitive.
One common theme, and a possible obstacle, is that many of the innovations would necessitate "incredible" amounts of bandwidth. Guido Jouret, one of the "big ideas" panelists explained that, for example:
A challenge for "tele-presence" types of applications is that they require enormous bandwidth, the equivalent of one year's worth of email with attachments included."
An example of a current tele-presence application is telemedicine, which can help doctors treat patients in remote areas, put patients in the reach of the right specialists, or even help medical staff communicate with patients via tele-translators.
These are exciting ideas, but companies are unlikely to develop them unless a significant percentage of the population has access to truly high speed networks.
Big Ideas Aim To Make Tech Easier, But Also Eat Lots Of Bandwidth (Information Week)
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