Isolated communities along the southwest coast of Newfoundland are now seeing first hand the benefits of enhanced wireless communications.
Connections from the Burgeo Broadcasting System ICT Project Tower in Burgeo to Aliant Telecom's tower sites in Grand Bruit, Ramea and François (with one in Grey River still under construction) are changing the way medical care and education are delivered.
A new wireless digital radio communications network now connects the five communities. The enhanced video conferencing equipment will allow a nurse practitioner and/or physician in another community to remotely view and assess client symptoms in the isolated communities.
A clerk at the remote clinic will be able to use a camera with a variety of probes to display images of the injured area over the network to the nurse practitioner and/or physician.
Additionally, images captured by the camera will be saved and transmitted digitally over the network to other health centres such as Western Memorial Regional Hospital for further consultation.
Dave MacDonald, project supervisor, says that following in-depth research and investigation of wireless communications, it was decided that this type of wireless networking was the best route to take.
Two-way system
"This is a two way system which can be initiated at any time from either location. It's on and accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week and there is no central operating centre," says Mr. MacDonald.
Mr. MacDonald says they were also faced with some skepticism over whether or not this type of system would carry transmissions such long distance over water.
There is a distance of 45.5 km. between two towers in Burgeo and Grand Bruit and it is almost 90 per cent over open water. This connection has already been used to carry out interactive meetings between the two communities.
The longest distance that a signal will have to be carried is 49.9 km. from Ramea to François.
Mr. MacDonald says they have been able to transmit successfully and are now testing radio transmissions between the two locations.
"We have had some connection issues but engineers are working on it and we are currently just waiting on another part for the tower," says Mr. MacDonald.
The system uses a 29 inch screen with focus cameras, allowing the medical staff, for example, to operate a remote control camera to examine a patient in Grand Bruit from the health care centre in Burgeo. From there, they are able to assess a situation and decide which course of medical treatment should be taken.
Intra-sharing in schools
Patients and doctors aren't the only ones who will benefit from wireless communications. High school students can now take advantage of a system which will allow them to take courses that were not previously offered from within their community.
Dr. Barbara Barter, assistant director of programs with the Cormack Trail School Board, says this project gives a unique way of intra-sharing between each of the five schools taking part.
The schools are all connected to each other and students can take part in live video conferencing, allowing students and teachers to interact in a setting similar to that of a classroom. Class sharing is also available which can allow two teachers in two different locations to intra-share lessons.
"Students and teachers can carry on dialogues and converse with one another. It's a great learning opportunity allowing everyone to be seen and heard," says Dr. Barter.
Many different benefits
While the students benefit by having more course options in core high school courses and interaction with other students and teachers, the teachers themselves are gaining professional development while sharing lesson plans and strategies.
"The intentions for September are to set up an availability of courses taught from another community. These schools are currently on the distance education program and students have said that the internet and audio through the old learning system is not as effective as live communication."
Dr. Barter says students, adults and teachers have already been effortlessly able to operate the new system for video conferencing.
"The system is user friendly and Mr. MacDonald has done a wonderful job in setting it up so that it's not beyond either of the community's economic means."
The project partners include the Western Health Care Corporation, Burgeo Broadcasting System (BBS), Human Resources Development Canada, Health and Community Services Western, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Cormack Trail School Board and the Department of Human Resources and Employment.
BBS, as the lead partner, will be responsible for putting the equipment in place that will link the five communities. The network will allow these communities greater access to educational resources and also offer opportunities for businesses and economic development by providing access to other information technology networks in Newfoundland.
It is anticipated the network will be fully operational by 2003.
Five communities along the southwest coast will now be connected through a new wireless ICT program with the help of the Burgeo Broadcasting System and a number of other supporters. The system allows doctors, patients, students or teachers to take advantage of a new era in communications and learning.