This operation was used to showcase telesurgery technology and to demonstrate the potential of a high-speed network used for cross border co-operation in telemedicine.
The Malaysian Research and Education Network (Myren) and the Asia Pacific Advanced Network (Apan) had jointly organised the showcase.
Real-time video and sound were transmitted over a 45Mbps (megabits per second) link between Myren and the Trans-Eurasia Information Network 2 (Tein2), which connected up all the participating countries.
From his operating theatre in Japan, Prof Dr Kiyohito Tanaka provided an elaborate explanation of the endoscopic and laparoscopic techniques performed on the patient.
The audiences, which included doctors, medical students and journalists, were able to see each step of the surgery and could interact with Dr Tanaka in real-time conversations. He is a surgeon at the hospital's department of gastroenterology.
Here in Malaysia, Myren connects 14 universities and research institutions nationwide via an Internet Protocol backbone. The 45Mbps network is used by research communities and is managed by the Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC).
Previously, telemedicine was limited to the use of still images transmitted over distances, such as pictures and x-ray photos, and simple moving images such as electrodiagrams and vital-sign graphs.
But thanks to a new collaborative tool, the Digital Video Transmission System (DVTS) which requires a high-speed Internet connection, real-time high-definition images can now be transmitted.
Ng Wan Peng, vice-president of MDeC, said the agency hopes the telesurgery showcase will encourage even more researchers in the country to participate in collaborative programmes with their overseas counterparts.
It is hoped that these researchers will realise the power of high-speed advanced research networks such as Myren and Tein2, and will leverage on the technology.
"This facility will also help pave the way for collaboration in other fields, including e-learning, earth monitoring, bio-informatics, e-culture and next-generation networks," Ng said.
Myren is scheduled to undergo an expansion under the 9th Malaysia Plan, which comes into effect next year. It will connect more universities and research organisations, as well as provide increased bandwidth and the deployment of more services.
For more information on the service, go to www.myren.net.my.
Autor(en)/Author(s): Zam Karim
Quelle/Source: The Star, 04.09.2007
