For many years CyberSoft has been involved in the research and development of communications technology (software and hardware) for a broad range of Clients in a variety of industries.

One of the most technically challenging was the commission Cybersoft received to research and develop key components of a consumer medical telemetry system.’

The Client, a major Japanese conglomerate, operated a “wellness” division that funded a portfolio of health-based initiatives both for it’s 250,000 staff as well as the broader Japanese community.

The Client, in partnership with the Tokyo Hospital Chief Pediatrician, identified an opportunity to provide a higher level of health care to pregnant women in remote areas of Japan. For some of the women a trip to the obstetrician could involve a trip of some hours.

The Objective

The objective was to develop a wireless (2G) medical telemetry device that could be operated from home without a high level of training. The data collected from the device would be used by doctors to determine patient (and baby) health, particularly with high-risk pregnancies.

The system wasn’t intended to replace all contact but to increase overall patient/doctor contact during pregnancy. The inclusion of video and voice would allow the Doctor to interact with the patient. In addition to the videoconferencing aspect a high quality image view was also required,The Client placed a high level of importance on the Doctor being able to perform a “Complexion Check” (trans.)

The Challenge

The technical challenge was to provide high quality two way video and voice in addition to patient telemetry data over a low bandwidth wireless network. A key constraint was that the system had to operate reliably at speeds of less than 64 kbs. This is equivalent to GPRS and is almost an order of magnitude slower that used by existing video-conferencing/tele-medical systems.

Over an R&D period of 2 years CyberSoft’s Australian based engineers and researchers developed a set of technologies that were integrated into a product by the Client in Japan.

These included:

• Wireless low bit-rate multi channel data prioritization protocols

• Software Video Compression (CODEC) H.263

• Software Audio Compression (CODEC) Various ITU standards

• SIP. H.323 -Image Compression

The Client ran a proof-of-concept (POC) with Tokyo Hospital followed by a regional pilot. The research produced several innovative and novel discoveries which the Client subsequently used in a range of products.

While the core technology has now been superseded, several derivative products are becoming available elsewhere with the most “futuristic” perhaps being the Mitsubishi Wellness Navigator.