Intelligent handset for visual telecommunication

The concept of virtual collaborative workspaces, which will support widely acceptable telecommunication services, is proposed. A model of the collaborative workspace and the basic functions needed for this service are described. Based on these descriptions, the concept of an intelligent handset that integrates the basic functions needed for visual telecommunication is proposed. System configuration of the handset is discussed with a view to realizing virtual collaborative workplaces. To confirm the practicality of the configuration proposed, a psychological evaluation of face masking was conducted. A prototype of the intelligent handset (ScopeHand) was implemented. Use of the prototype system confirms the effectiveness of the concept