With this in mind, the company has designed a hands-free, wireless and lightweight bidirectional audio/video/communications system that enables in-the-field communication, says sales director: international satellite Gilles Leclerc.

“Multinational companies use videoconferencing to communicate with international branch offices, enabling them to work with their staff, clients and suppliers in different countries, and to cut the hassles, risk and costs of business travel. “However, despite its benefits, there are problems with many videoconferencing packages, especially for mining companies,” he adds.

Leclerc explains that the fixed-environment design philosophy does not fit in with the needs of many departments that need in-the-field mobility, such as exploration teams, geologists, project engineers, inspectors, mechanics and mine managers.

The system, known as Frontline Communicator, consists of a head- set camera and a miniaturised transmitter. It connects to almost all Internet Protocol broadband networks, enabling voice, data, and video/images communications from virtually any location, while being mobile. It is compatible with a variety of modes of wireless communication, including WiFi, high-speed cellular and Bluetooth.

The system can also be upgraded with a range of accessories, such as an additional lithium-ion battery, a charger combo (cradle and lithium-ion battery), a composite adapter to plug a composite camera, an S-Video adapter to plug an S-Video camera, audio/video output cables (composite or S-Video), different-sized lenses and a polarised filter for sunny conditions.

Computer scientists Marie Lapalme and Luc Ducas established AudiSoft in 1997, after they had created a system to help their deaf child to cope with the everyday classroom environment. The system was the first audiovisual FM system, called AudiSee.

As a wireless audio/video device, the AudiSee facilitates lip-reading and assists in speech perception, and allows deaf students to read what teachers are teaching at any time, even when they move around or turn their backs on the classroom.