New multimedia services in the education, medical and welfare sectors

With recent developments in information technology (IT) and multimedia technology in the background, there is worldwide expansion in the deployment of video-based information networks that use two core technologies, namely, video terminals, represented by videophones and videoconferencing systems, and digital network ISDN as the communication platform. In this article, Visual communication networks that utilize ISDN and video terminals will be collectively referred to as video-based information networks and an explanation will be made of representative business cases that use this technology within the education, medical and welfare fields. Specifically, new types of multimedia services based on interactive Visual communication will spread through video-based information networks within not just the education, medical and welfare fields but also various other business fields as well. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.