New multimedia services in the education, medical and welfare sectors

With recent developments in information technology (IT) and multimedia tech nology in the background, there is worldwide expansion in the deployment of video-based information networks that use two core technologies, namely, v ideo terminals, represented by videophones and videoconferencing systems, a nd digital network ISDN as the communication platform. In this article, Vis ual communication networks that utilize ISDN and video terminals will be co llectively referred to as video-based information networks and an explanati on will be made of representative business cases that use this technology w ithin 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, med ical and welfare fields but also various other business fields as well. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.