The Lancashire telemedicine ambulance

An emergency ambulance was equipped with three video-cameras and a system f or transmitting slow-scan video-pictures through a cellular telephone link to a hospital accident and emergency department. Video-pictures were transm itted at a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels and a frame rate of 15 pictures/m in. In addition, a helmet-mounted camera was used with a wireless transmiss ion link to the ambulance and thence the hospital. Speech was transmitted b y a second hand-held cellular telephone. The equipment was installed in 199 6-7 and video-recordings of actual ambulance journeys were made in July 199 7. The technical feasibility of the telemedicine ambulance has been demonst rated and further clinical assessment is now in progress.