Technical Facilities

Communication and Network Standards

Next Generation Internet Research Suite

Collaborative Research Suite

Telehealth Clinical Research Suite

Telelearning Research Suite

Bone and Joint Telematics Suite

Digital Information Commons Reading Room

Technical Support Room

Technical Facilities

In telehealth research, we need laboratories just as much as researchers in the areas of physics, chemistry and biology. But instead of electrical boards, test tubes, or animals, our ‘laboratories’ contain leading edge information and communications equipment. This provides access to the narrowband, broadband, video, wireless, and web-based connectivity needed to do much of our research and training. The suites are all equipped to provide group web-conferencing capabilities.  In concert with our four areas of research focus, we have clinical, educational, technological, and policy research suites available, as well as facilities for researchers and support staff. 

The Telehealth Program is housed on two levels within the Health Telematics Unit in the Health Sciences Centre at the University of Calgary.

The main level includes a reception area with a community-based projects’ room.  

 

The lower level contains research offices and project rooms, Secretariat Offices for international and national initiatives, four research suites: Next Generation Internet Research Suite, Collaborative Research Suite, Bone & Joint Telematics Suite, Simulated Clinical Care Suite, Telelearning Research Suite, Digital Information Commons Reading Room, and a Technical Support Room.  

 

The scholarly infrastructure contains advanced, interactive, interoperable, networked, telehealth and teleresearch workstations with digitized image, video, multimedia, and scanning functionalities.  It incorporates real-time and store-and-forward capabilities; multi-point, narrow, broadband, and Internet connectivity; telehealth information databases; and research incubators for partner projects. All equipment is compliant with internationally accepted communication and network standards. 

COMMUNICATION AND NETWORK STANDARDS

Communication Protocols

The equipment available in the Collaboratory Research suites is able to make calls using H.320 (ISDN) dialup at up to 384 Kbps, H.323 (IP) network up to 2 Mbps, or MPEG-2 (IP) network at 4 Mbps. 

The following picture resolution and frame rate is provided by these systems: 

• H.320 – 352x288 pixels at up to 30 frames/second depending on motion requirements (except Ca*Net3)
• H.323 – 352x288 pixels at up to 30 frames/second depending on motion requirements
• MPEG-2 – 704x480 pixels at a full 30 frames/second
• H.320 (ISDN) network is the most heavily used and widely available throughout the world. H.323 (IP) calls can be made effectively to those institutions attached to advanced Internet systems (such as CA*Net3, Internet2, etc.). The NeteraNet MPEG-2 video network currently allows connection to the University of Alberta, University of Calgary, NAIT, SAIT and Mount Royal College within Alberta
• Wireless connectivity.
• Web-conferencing (large group)

© 2002 Health Telematics Unit.
Disclaimer/Copyright Information
We welcome your comments or questions.
Contact Judy Hunter at hunterj@ucalgary.ca