This paper describes the main issues regarding the development of a po
rtable system capable of making wireless connections to a TCP/IP netwo
rk for real-time video delivery. Compression is used along with packet
radio technology, providing a fully mobile and compact device. It is
expected that using such a device, one camera-person will be able to m
ake a report with his/her camera attached to a small battery-powered b
ox which will transmit NTSC-quality digitalized and compressed images
to a central gateway connected to the Internet. Some uses for the syst
em are discussed, one of them being an application aimed to control co
mbustion chambers in a petrol refinery. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.