Latest Telepresence News, Research and Analysis:
MASERGY Company Profile
February 8, 2010 | Howard Lichtman
We continue our series profiling the leading firms in the telepresence
industry with a profile on telepresence and videoconferencing network provider: MASERGY. You can browse our Company Profile archive
for previous companies profiled including Teliris, Cisco, Polycom,
Glowpoint, TelePresence Tech and others. You can subscribe via RSS or e-mail
to receive Company Profiles of other leading telepresence firms as they
are published. All the Company Profiles will be published in the
upcoming hard copy Telepresence Options 2010 Yearbook which you can receive
for free by subscribing here.
MASERGY is a next-generation carrier that has redefined enterprise wide-area networking by delivering innovative products, advanced capabilities and a superior customer experience, all on an integrated global IP/MPLS network. The company's WAN services and advanced networking capabilities deliver a superior customer experience with VPN options, including VPLS and Private IP, that support seamless network convergence for superior voice and video performance. MASERGY provides flawless performance for Telepresence, high definition or standard video communications to any customer location and the industry's strongest SLA. Through partnerships with BT Conferencing's Global Video Exchange and IP-V Gateways, MASERGY offers connections to thousands of organizations using telepresence and videoconferencing.
MASERGY is a next-generation carrier that has redefined enterprise wide-area networking by delivering innovative products, advanced capabilities and a superior customer experience, all on an integrated global IP/MPLS network. The company's WAN services and advanced networking capabilities deliver a superior customer experience with VPN options, including VPLS and Private IP, that support seamless network convergence for superior voice and video performance. MASERGY provides flawless performance for Telepresence, high definition or standard video communications to any customer location and the industry's strongest SLA. Through partnerships with BT Conferencing's Global Video Exchange and IP-V Gateways, MASERGY offers connections to thousands of organizations using telepresence and videoconferencing.
Cisco Launches Updated TelePresence Systems and Telepresence Interoperability Protocol - What Does it Mean? Howard Lichtman's Thoughts and Analysis
January 27, 2010 | Howard Lichtman
Cisco new, enhanced 18 seat telepresence classroom: The Cisco CTS 3210 with LCD screen, lower power consumption, faster installation, and better bandwidth management
Cisco has made a number of new TelePresence product announcements including releasing a new signaling protocol that will allow other vendors to effectively connect with and inter-operate with Cisco TelePresence endpoints while keeping the correct eye-lines, spacial acoustics, and data collaboration capabilities. The company has also announced a new, enhanced version of its flagship six seat telepresence group system: The Cisco CTS 3010 and a new enhanced version of its 18 seat classroom: The Cisco CTS 3210. Cisco has also announced five new telepresence "experiences" or application specific customizations of its existing systems. Find out what it all means with Telepresence Options Publisher Howard Lichtman's Thoughts and Analysis including his prediction and reasoning why 2010 will be the year that Inter-company telepresence and videoconferencing takes off
Polycom and Juniper Partnership - What Does it Mean? Howard S. Lichtman's Thoughts and Analysis
January 25, 2010 | Howard Lichtman
Polycom and Juniper announced a partnership in telepresence and
videoconferencing on Monday where they will cooperate to make carrier
and large enterprise networks "application - aware" of telepresence and
videoconferencing traffic. The partnership will connect Polycom's
Video Control Platform (Distributed Media Application (DMA 7000) in real time with Juniper's Network Operating System (Junos)
to make Juniper/Junos networks "application aware" when setting up
telepresence and videoconferencing sessions and allow the network to
dedicate bandwidth and resources for the call. Get the complete scoop with Telepresence Options' publisher Howard Lichtman's Thoughts and Analysis.
The January Edition of the Telepresence Options Telegraph Newsletter
January 18, 2010 | Howard Lichtman
We have just published the January 2010 edition of the Telepresence Options Telegraph, our newsletter that covers the latest in telepresence technologies and the telepresence industry.
In this month's issue:
- Logitech/LifeSize, ooVoo, Vidyo, Vizio, Microsoft, and/or Apple waiting in the wings?
- The Telepresence and Videoconferencing Exchange Review
This Month's Telepresence Options Telegraph is Sponsored by: Human Productivity Lab
The Human Productivity Lab is the world's leading independent telepresence analysis, research and consulting firm serving global Fortune 5000 corporations across a broad range of industry sectors including financial institutions, multinational telecommunication providers, manufacturers, and energy companies among others. The Lab was founded in 2005 by Howard S. Lichtman, a productivity-focused technologist who advises organizations of all sizes on how to successfully deploy telepresence solutions to enhance internal and external communications, reduce costs and improve environmental responsibility while increasing organizational productivity and bottom line revenue.
http://www.HumanProductivityLab.com/consulting
In this month's issue:
- "Home Telepresence"/Videoconferencing at CES - The Battle for the Living Room
- Logitech/LifeSize, ooVoo, Vidyo, Vizio, Microsoft, and/or Apple waiting in the wings?
- The Inter-Company Telepresence and Videoconferencing Handbook
- The Telepresence and Videoconferencing Exchange Review
- Cisco has 91% of TANDBERG, Closes Acquisition
- TANDBERG Introduces T3 Custom Edition
- Telepresence inter-operability - The Fall Internet 2 Trials
- Videoconferencing Consolidation Puts All Eyes on Polycom
- New Telepresence Options Sponsors - Tata Communications and BrightCom
- Telepresence News Articles and Stories
- Telepresence Press Releases
- Telepresence Industry Deals
- Odds & Sods
- Telepresence People, TIP now over 1100+ Members!, Telepresence Industry Jobs, and "On the Bench"- A Breakdown of Industry Talent in the Market for their Next Opportunity.
This Month's Telepresence Options Telegraph is Sponsored by: Human Productivity Lab
The Human Productivity Lab is the world's leading independent telepresence analysis, research and consulting firm serving global Fortune 5000 corporations across a broad range of industry sectors including financial institutions, multinational telecommunication providers, manufacturers, and energy companies among others. The Lab was founded in 2005 by Howard S. Lichtman, a productivity-focused technologist who advises organizations of all sizes on how to successfully deploy telepresence solutions to enhance internal and external communications, reduce costs and improve environmental responsibility while increasing organizational productivity and bottom line revenue.
http://www.HumanProductivityLab.com/consulting
Home Telepresence/Videoconferencing at CES - The Battle for the Living Room
January 12, 2010 | Howard Lichtman
The big stories for the telepresence and visual collaboration industry coming out of last week's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas is the rapidly developing "Battle for the Living Room" where telepresence and videoconferencing companies, consumer electronics companies, and networking providers have unsheathed their swords in the billion dollar contest to provide two-way videoconferencing over broadband internet connections to the home. Cisco, Polycom/IBM, and Skype/Panasonic/LG have all announced and/or demonstrated products that will bring high definition videoconferencing into the living room. In this article, I take a look at the current and future applications for home telepresence and videoconferencing, the various business models, the players who announced they are heading to the living room at CES and the other potential industry participants lurking in the home office and on the family computer who just might join them.
Telepresence Managed Services, Public Room, and Internetworking Provider Tata Communications Joins Telepresence Options
December 14, 2009 | Howard Lichtman
Tata Communications is a global provider of telepresence solutions and services. The company's telepresence portfolio includes:
Public Telepresence - A global network of publicly available Cisco TelePresence Suites that can be rented by the hour. Built in collaboration with Tata's community of partners like Starwood Hotels and service providers like PLDT and Neotel, the Tata public rooms are located in leading business centers and hotels around the world . Tata has also partnered with leading travel management providers Carlson Wagonlit Travel and American Express Travel to offer telepresence as a business travel option. To telepresence-enabled organizations, they can extend their internal network of Cisco TelePresence rooms with Tata's growing network of publicly available locations worldwide.
Telepresence Managed Services - Tata provides a managed service for Cisco TelePresence that includes network, equipment deployment, maintenance and management, reservation support and concierge service, help desk, and hosted video network infrastructure.
Telepresence Exchange and Internetworking - Tata Communications runs one of the world's largest global private IP networks and offers overlay and converged network solutions with the QoS demanded by telepresence. The company also runs the Tata Global Meeting Exchange, a networking platform that connects private enterprise telepresence networks to other private , carrier and publicly available telepresence networks including Tata's global network of publicly available Cisco TelePresence Suites. This globally distributed and open Telepresence Exchange can enable enterprises to connect with their business ecosystem.
Public Telepresence - A global network of publicly available Cisco TelePresence Suites that can be rented by the hour. Built in collaboration with Tata's community of partners like Starwood Hotels and service providers like PLDT and Neotel, the Tata public rooms are located in leading business centers and hotels around the world . Tata has also partnered with leading travel management providers Carlson Wagonlit Travel and American Express Travel to offer telepresence as a business travel option. To telepresence-enabled organizations, they can extend their internal network of Cisco TelePresence rooms with Tata's growing network of publicly available locations worldwide.
Telepresence Managed Services - Tata provides a managed service for Cisco TelePresence that includes network, equipment deployment, maintenance and management, reservation support and concierge service, help desk, and hosted video network infrastructure.
Telepresence Exchange and Internetworking - Tata Communications runs one of the world's largest global private IP networks and offers overlay and converged network solutions with the QoS demanded by telepresence. The company also runs the Tata Global Meeting Exchange, a networking platform that connects private enterprise telepresence networks to other private , carrier and publicly available telepresence networks including Tata's global network of publicly available Cisco TelePresence Suites. This globally distributed and open Telepresence Exchange can enable enterprises to connect with their business ecosystem.
Telepresence Interoperability - The Fall Internet2 Trials
December 8, 2009 | Howard Lichtman
Telepresence interoperability is an issue near and dear to my heart and it is a topic that we will be covering in our upcoming publication: The Inter-Company Telepresence and Videoconferencing Handbook which will be released next week. Because there are a variety of telepresence vendors and systems inter-operability is the key to effective inter-company telepresence which is the key to dramatically improving the utility of telepresence I.E. Who you can connect with and what you can accomplish in telepresence environments.
The first industry-wide immersive telepresence interoperability demo was held at the Fall Internet2 meeting in San Antonio, Texas in October. The trial successfully connected multi-codec systems from Polycom (TPX HD 306, RPX 200, and RPX 400), LifeSize (Room 100), and Tandberg (T3), all of them operating on different networks (Interenet2, Commodity Internet, Polycom network, IBM network, and Tandberg network). Eight test cases covered multipoint calls using both voice switching and continuous presence. The telepresence systems connected to either Polycom RMX 2000 conference server (controlled by the Multipoint Layout Application, MLA) or to Tandberg Telepresence Server, while the two servers were connected to each other. Basic connectivity worked in all eight test cases.
From what I could discern from the coverage of the event much of the interoperability trials revolved around the basics of connecting disparate video codecs through various pieces of video network infrastructure. The result was a variety of traditional videoconferencing continuous presence (CP) layouts across the multi-screen displays of a variety of telepresence systems. While this is a very important capability and the ability to participate in a multi-site continuous presence call across the multiple screens, videowalls, and large beam-splitters of telepresence systems is a dramatically better experience than CP multi-point over a single screen, this only represents one aspect of telepresence interoperability.
Ultimately for true telepresence interoperability the ability for disparate systems to connect (through video network infrastructure and point-to-point) while maintaining as much of the "magic" of the telepresence experience as possible will be neccessary: telepresence multi-point where life-size participants from each remote site are displayed side-by-side in a global roundtable format with correct eye-lines and spatial acoustics, effective data collaboration between disparate systems, and a framework for inter-company scheduling and meeting governance. Our upcoming publication: The Inter-company Telepresence and Videoconferencing Handbook will have what I believe to be the fist attempt to measure this level of interoperability between disparate systems.
The best coverage of the Internet2 interoperability event was from Stefan Karapetkov, Director of Emerging Technologies at Polycom, who posted coverage on his excellent blog: Video Networker which we are republishing here with video and images from the event. If any of the other vendors or participants have similar coverage and/or responses then please forward them to me at HSL(at)HumanProductivityLab(dot)com and I will include them as well.
The first industry-wide immersive telepresence interoperability demo was held at the Fall Internet2 meeting in San Antonio, Texas in October. The trial successfully connected multi-codec systems from Polycom (TPX HD 306, RPX 200, and RPX 400), LifeSize (Room 100), and Tandberg (T3), all of them operating on different networks (Interenet2, Commodity Internet, Polycom network, IBM network, and Tandberg network). Eight test cases covered multipoint calls using both voice switching and continuous presence. The telepresence systems connected to either Polycom RMX 2000 conference server (controlled by the Multipoint Layout Application, MLA) or to Tandberg Telepresence Server, while the two servers were connected to each other. Basic connectivity worked in all eight test cases.
From what I could discern from the coverage of the event much of the interoperability trials revolved around the basics of connecting disparate video codecs through various pieces of video network infrastructure. The result was a variety of traditional videoconferencing continuous presence (CP) layouts across the multi-screen displays of a variety of telepresence systems. While this is a very important capability and the ability to participate in a multi-site continuous presence call across the multiple screens, videowalls, and large beam-splitters of telepresence systems is a dramatically better experience than CP multi-point over a single screen, this only represents one aspect of telepresence interoperability.
Ultimately for true telepresence interoperability the ability for disparate systems to connect (through video network infrastructure and point-to-point) while maintaining as much of the "magic" of the telepresence experience as possible will be neccessary: telepresence multi-point where life-size participants from each remote site are displayed side-by-side in a global roundtable format with correct eye-lines and spatial acoustics, effective data collaboration between disparate systems, and a framework for inter-company scheduling and meeting governance. Our upcoming publication: The Inter-company Telepresence and Videoconferencing Handbook will have what I believe to be the fist attempt to measure this level of interoperability between disparate systems.
The best coverage of the Internet2 interoperability event was from Stefan Karapetkov, Director of Emerging Technologies at Polycom, who posted coverage on his excellent blog: Video Networker which we are republishing here with video and images from the event. If any of the other vendors or participants have similar coverage and/or responses then please forward them to me at HSL(at)HumanProductivityLab(dot)com and I will include them as well.
Telepresence Solution Provider BrightCom Joins Telepresence Options
December 6, 2009 | Howard Lichtman
BrightCom is the designer and manufacturer of fully integrated, processor based, and software driven, telepresence and video conferencing solutions. The company offers a wide range of options to connect people, content and data from home offices, mobile devices, desktops, conference rooms, work spaces and telepresence suites simultaneously around the world. BrightCom's Lumina Telepresence allows for life-like, instant communication empowering businesses with a fully immersive environment for natural collaboration and conversation. Ranging from personal one to one telepresence to fully customized suites that accommodate up to 12 people, Lumina Telepresence empowers businesses with a natural setting for everyday, instant teamwork, brainstorming and decision-making.
BrightCom's Visual Collaboration System 2.0 provides the infrastructure for Lumina Telepresence and ClearView Video Conferencing Solutions. Unlike other solutions, VCS 2.0 is a single network appliance that provides businesses with meeting administration, meeting scheduling, a complete set of web conferencing features and NAT firewall traversal. High definition video, standard definition video and audio broadcasts are integrated with the data broadcasts. This can be displayed in a multi-screen layout that the meeting moderator can configure. Alongside multiple data broadcasts, VCS can also display up to 16 subdivision on multiple video screens that can be seen by an unlimited number of participants.
BrightCom's Visual Collaboration System 2.0 provides the infrastructure for Lumina Telepresence and ClearView Video Conferencing Solutions. Unlike other solutions, VCS 2.0 is a single network appliance that provides businesses with meeting administration, meeting scheduling, a complete set of web conferencing features and NAT firewall traversal. High definition video, standard definition video and audio broadcasts are integrated with the data broadcasts. This can be displayed in a multi-screen layout that the meeting moderator can configure. Alongside multiple data broadcasts, VCS can also display up to 16 subdivision on multiple video screens that can be seen by an unlimited number of participants.
Updated! Cisco Has 91% of TANDBERG, Closes TANDBERG Acquisition!
December 4, 2009 | Howard Lichtman
Via Associated Press SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Cisco Systems now says it has control of enough Tandberg ASA shares to take over the Norwegian company. Cisco had said Thursday that stockholders representing only 89 percent of the shares had accepted its $3.4 billion bid -- just shy of the 90 percent required to close the deal. But on Friday Cisco revealed that it has already bought up enough shares on the open market to raise its total stake above 91 percent and clinch its acquisition of the world's largest videoconferencing equipment maker. It comes after a hard-fought takeover effort. Cisco's original offer of $3 billion attracted less than 10 percent of the company's shareholders. It was forced to raise the bid and extend the deadline for accepting before enough shareholders agreed to sell.
TANDBERG Introduces T3 Custom Edition - Integrator Kit for Custom T3 Installations
December 1, 2009 | Howard Lichtman
TANDBERG today announces its T3 Custom Edition, an integration kit for systems integrators to design flexible collaborative workspaces based on the T3 telepresence platform. The kit's list price is $249,000 and includes three C90 codecs, three PrecisionHD 1080p cameras, telepresence control unit, presentation splitter, collaboration video switch and 1 x 22" Full HD touch screen but it missing the many elements including screens and microphone arrays that would be unique to each environment. TANDBERG released an image of a 19 seat large group / classroom system built on the T3 platform. You can read the official TANDBERG press release here.
The November Edition of the Telepresence Options Telegraph Newsletter
November 11, 2009 | Howard Lichtman
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE TELEGRAPH AS A PDF
* Logitech Buys LifeSize Communications for $405MM with HSL's Thoughts and Analysis
* Entrepreneur Magazine covers Telepresence and Powwow Virtual, the HPL's Business Model for Public Telepresence
* Cisco -TANDBERG Updates
* David Danto - From Telepresence to the Desktop: Video Comes of Age
* If Telepresence is the Present then 3D is the Future
* PRESENCE 2009 Conference and Telepresence Industry Dinner in Marina Del Ray Wed. Nov 11th
* IPeak Networks IPQ reduces Packet loss for TP and videoconferencing
* TANDBERG launches T1 Small Group Telepresence System
* A New Company Profile - BT Conferencing
* A New Solution Snapshots
- Polycom TPX HD Series
* New Telepresence Videos from HSL's YouTube Channel
* Telepresence New Articles and Stories
* Telepresence Industry Press Releases
* Telepresence Industry Deals
* Telepresence People - Case Murphy has been promoted to Principal Engineer for Collaboration Technologies at AOL, Brett McAteer, George Astacio, Aaron Payne, Joe Vitalone, Chris Otten, and Mohammed Ghafari
* Telepresence Industry Professionals (TIP) - Marina Del Ray Dinner - Wednesday, Nov 11th, TIP over 1030+ members
Odds & Sods - RADVISION has reported revenues for Q3 2009, AT&T Telepresence Solution, Conferencing Advisors Inc. Named Partner of the Year by LifeSize Communications, Telepresence interoperability tested at Internet2 Conference, Financial Post predicting that Polycom will be next company to be
acquired after Cisco's acquisition of TANDBERG
* Telepresence Industry Jobs - Telepresence Industry Professional Job Board,
Director of Sales, Eastern US - LifeSize Communications - New York City, Polycom is Hiring over a Dozen Engineers and Account Managers, Polycom is Hiring Major Account Managers in Amsterdam, Netherlands. And Belgium, Brussels
* On The Bench - A Breakdown of Industry Talent in the Market for their Next Opportunity
and More!
You can subscribe to the Telepresence Options Telegraph Here: http://www.telepresenceoptions.com/syndication/
* Logitech Buys LifeSize Communications for $405MM with HSL's Thoughts and Analysis
* Entrepreneur Magazine covers Telepresence and Powwow Virtual, the HPL's Business Model for Public Telepresence
* Cisco -TANDBERG Updates
* David Danto - From Telepresence to the Desktop: Video Comes of Age
* If Telepresence is the Present then 3D is the Future
* PRESENCE 2009 Conference and Telepresence Industry Dinner in Marina Del Ray Wed. Nov 11th
* IPeak Networks IPQ reduces Packet loss for TP and videoconferencing
* TANDBERG launches T1 Small Group Telepresence System
* A New Company Profile - BT Conferencing
* A New Solution Snapshots
- Polycom TPX HD Series
* New Telepresence Videos from HSL's YouTube Channel
* Telepresence New Articles and Stories
* Telepresence Industry Press Releases
* Telepresence Industry Deals
* Telepresence People - Case Murphy has been promoted to Principal Engineer for Collaboration Technologies at AOL, Brett McAteer, George Astacio, Aaron Payne, Joe Vitalone, Chris Otten, and Mohammed Ghafari
* Telepresence Industry Professionals (TIP) - Marina Del Ray Dinner - Wednesday, Nov 11th, TIP over 1030+ members
Odds & Sods - RADVISION has reported revenues for Q3 2009, AT&T Telepresence Solution, Conferencing Advisors Inc. Named Partner of the Year by LifeSize Communications, Telepresence interoperability tested at Internet2 Conference, Financial Post predicting that Polycom will be next company to be
acquired after Cisco's acquisition of TANDBERG
* Telepresence Industry Jobs - Telepresence Industry Professional Job Board,
Director of Sales, Eastern US - LifeSize Communications - New York City, Polycom is Hiring over a Dozen Engineers and Account Managers, Polycom is Hiring Major Account Managers in Amsterdam, Netherlands. And Belgium, Brussels
* On The Bench - A Breakdown of Industry Talent in the Market for their Next Opportunity
and More!
You can subscribe to the Telepresence Options Telegraph Here: http://www.telepresenceoptions.com/syndication/
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE TELEGRAPH AS A PDF
This Edition of the Telepresence Options Telegraph was Sponsored by Video and Converged Network Provider: MASERGY Communications
MASERGY Communications has redefined enterprise wide-area networking by delivering innovative products, advanced capabilities and a superior customer experience, all on an integrated global IP/MPLS network. Our WAN services and advanced networking capabilities deliver a superior customer experience while our VPN options, including VPLS and Private IP, support seamless network convergence for superior voice and video performance. MASERGY provides flawless performance for Telepresence, high definition or standard video communications to any customer location.
Click Here to See What MASERGY Communications can do for You!
MASERGY Communications has redefined enterprise wide-area networking by delivering innovative products, advanced capabilities and a superior customer experience, all on an integrated global IP/MPLS network. Our WAN services and advanced networking capabilities deliver a superior customer experience while our VPN options, including VPLS and Private IP, support seamless network convergence for superior voice and video performance. MASERGY provides flawless performance for Telepresence, high definition or standard video communications to any customer location.
Click Here to See What MASERGY Communications can do for You!
Logitech Acquires LifeSize Communications for $405MM with HPL President Howard S. Lichtman's Thoughts and Analysis
November 10, 2009 | Howard Lichtman
Telepresence and videoconferencing hardware manufacturer LifeSize Communications was acquired by PC peripheral powerhouse Logitech (NASDAQ: LOGI) in an all-cash deal reported to close in December. LifeSize which has raised $78 million dollars in venture capital investment from Redpoint Ventures, Sutter Hill Ventures, Pinnacle Ventures, Tenaya Capital, and Norwest Venture Partners has estimated sales of $90MM for 2009. Logitech which is one of the leading manufacturers of PC peripherals including computer mice, keyboards, speakers, and most importantly and pertinently webcams had revenue of $2.37 billion in 2008 and $2.2 billion in 2009. This acquisition is their largest ever. LifeSize will continue as an on-going concern as a division of Logitech and will retain their brand, Austin headquarters, and CEO Craig Malloy.
Official LifeSize Press Release
Official LifeSize Press Release
Entrepreneur Magazine Covers Telepresence and Powwow Virtual-The HPL's Business Model for Public Telepresence
November 9, 2009 | Howard Lichtman
Dan O'Shea, the former Editor-in-Chief of Telephony Magazine, Fierce Telecom editor, and guru of all things electronic did a piece this month for Entrepreneur Magazine: Doing Business with No Walls and covered telepresence and Powwow Virtual, the Human Productivity Lab's business model for a network of publicly available telepresence conferencing centers. Other commitments have forced me to keep Powwow bubbling on the back-burner but we continue to look for the right investor and/or partner that is looking for a sophisticated public telepresence strategy and the right business model, team, designs, technology roadmap, and global audience to get it off the ground fast!
Room with a View
By Dan O'Shea, Entrepreneur Magazine, November 2009
Telepresence is as close as it gets to meeting face-to-face
Have you ever tried to shake hands with a business partner sitting directly across from you, even though you know he's in his own office 2,000 miles away? Telepresence makes you want to do just that. It's no hallucinatory drug, though the sensory experience it provdes via ultra-realistic, life-size videoconferencing does make it seem as if someone spiked your java. it's like interacting with a hologram from "Minority Report."
Room with a View
By Dan O'Shea, Entrepreneur Magazine, November 2009
Telepresence is as close as it gets to meeting face-to-face
Have you ever tried to shake hands with a business partner sitting directly across from you, even though you know he's in his own office 2,000 miles away? Telepresence makes you want to do just that. It's no hallucinatory drug, though the sensory experience it provdes via ultra-realistic, life-size videoconferencing does make it seem as if someone spiked your java. it's like interacting with a hologram from "Minority Report."
From Telepresence to the Desktop - Video Comes Of Age (The video conference room is dead - long live video conferencing)
November 2, 2009 | Chris Payatagool
PRESENCE 2009 Conference - Update Nov 11th-13th Los Angeles
October 29, 2009 | Howard Lichtman
PRESENCE 2009 is right around the corner and it looks to be a particularly rich and rewarding conference. In addition to a diverse group of interesting paper presentations, we'll have several demonstrations of telepresence technologies including telepresence conferencing systems from BrightCom and Digital Video Enterprises, true knowledge-building discussion sessions, various social events, and three outstanding keynote speakers:
Barbara Hayes-Roth, an internationally recognized expert in intelligent agents and interactive
characters. She is the former Director of the Adaptive Agents Project and the Virtual Theater Project at Stanford University. She is the founder and President of Extempo Systems which is developing life-like coach-bots to provide personalized one-to-one coaching.
Howard S. Lichtman, founder and President of the Human Productivity Lab, an independent research consultancy that advises organizations looking to invest in telepresence technologies. Mr. Lichtman is the Publisher of Telepresence Options and the editor of the Telepresence Telegraph, the most widely read newsletter following telepresence conferencing, the author of numerous papers and publications on telepresence and telepresence conferencing, and his writings and analysis have been featured in over a dozen national and international publications.
Albert "Skip" Rizzo, Research Scientist and Research Professor at the Institute for Creative
Technologies and Department of Psychiatry/School of Gerontology at the University of Southern California. Dr. Rizzo is the Co-Director of the VRPSYCH Lab at USC which conducts research on the design, development, and evaluation of Virtual Reality systems for clinical assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation.
The full schedule and all the conference details are on the conference website, http://ispr.info/conference.
Telepresence Conferencing Demonstrations include:
The Digital Video Enterprises Telepresence Podium and the BrightCom Lumina L37
PRESENCE 2009 / Telepresence Industry Professionals Dinner - Wednesday, Nov 11th 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM - Marina Del Ray, CA
Academia meets industry at a dinner for PRESENCE 2009 researchers interested in telepresence technologies and Telepresence Industry Professionals. The dinner is open to academics, researchers, and members of the telepresence, videoconferencing, and visual collaboration industries interested in the next generation of telepresence technologies.
Barbara Hayes-Roth, an internationally recognized expert in intelligent agents and interactive
characters. She is the former Director of the Adaptive Agents Project and the Virtual Theater Project at Stanford University. She is the founder and President of Extempo Systems which is developing life-like coach-bots to provide personalized one-to-one coaching.
Howard S. Lichtman, founder and President of the Human Productivity Lab, an independent research consultancy that advises organizations looking to invest in telepresence technologies. Mr. Lichtman is the Publisher of Telepresence Options and the editor of the Telepresence Telegraph, the most widely read newsletter following telepresence conferencing, the author of numerous papers and publications on telepresence and telepresence conferencing, and his writings and analysis have been featured in over a dozen national and international publications.
Albert "Skip" Rizzo, Research Scientist and Research Professor at the Institute for Creative
Technologies and Department of Psychiatry/School of Gerontology at the University of Southern California. Dr. Rizzo is the Co-Director of the VRPSYCH Lab at USC which conducts research on the design, development, and evaluation of Virtual Reality systems for clinical assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation.
The full schedule and all the conference details are on the conference website, http://ispr.info/conference.
Telepresence Conferencing Demonstrations include:
The Digital Video Enterprises Telepresence Podium and the BrightCom Lumina L37
PRESENCE 2009 / Telepresence Industry Professionals Dinner - Wednesday, Nov 11th 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM - Marina Del Ray, CA
Academia meets industry at a dinner for PRESENCE 2009 researchers interested in telepresence technologies and Telepresence Industry Professionals. The dinner is open to academics, researchers, and members of the telepresence, videoconferencing, and visual collaboration industries interested in the next generation of telepresence technologies.
BT Conferencing Company Profile
October 26, 2009 | Howard Lichtman
We continue our series profiling the leading firms in the telepresence
industry with a profile on telepresence and videoconferencing exchange provider BT Conferencing. You can browse our Company Profile archive
for previous companies profiled including Teliris, Cisco, Polycom,
Glowpoint, TelePresence Tech and others. You can subscribe via RSS or e-mail
to receive Company Profiles of other leading telepresence firms as they
are published. All the Company Profiles will be published in the
upcoming hard copy Telepresence Options 2009 Yearbook which you can receive
for free by subscribing here.
BT Conferencing provides exchange service, telepresence managed services, and deployment services. These services include well regarded concierge services, reservation services, network operations services. The most important component of its offer is the video operating system "Onward" which includes capabilities for automatic session launch and operator assist, tools for measuring and reporting operational status of facilities, network devices and proactive responses to faults or alarms in progress. The company has a well architected initiative for internal marketing and user education to stimulate service awareness and session demand.
Included are comprehensive tools for monitoring demand, scheduling and operational satisfaction. With a Video Operations Center in both the USA and UK, BT Conferencing launches more than 60,000 telepresence and video conferencing calls per year
BT Conferencing provides exchange service, telepresence managed services, and deployment services. These services include well regarded concierge services, reservation services, network operations services. The most important component of its offer is the video operating system "Onward" which includes capabilities for automatic session launch and operator assist, tools for measuring and reporting operational status of facilities, network devices and proactive responses to faults or alarms in progress. The company has a well architected initiative for internal marketing and user education to stimulate service awareness and session demand.
Included are comprehensive tools for monitoring demand, scheduling and operational satisfaction. With a Video Operations Center in both the USA and UK, BT Conferencing launches more than 60,000 telepresence and video conferencing calls per year


















