Cambridge consultants (CCL) is working with Orange to develop what it claims will be a world first: a GSM mobile videophone.
CCL, which is responsible for the overall design of the project, says that its palm-held devices (which provide full video and audio communication capabilities as well internet access) will come onto the market later this year.
Claire Ruskin, Director of CCL, commented, ‘ the key to designing a product of this nature will be in understanding human nature and how we interact with technology. We are entering a new development in the story of sound and vision communication.’
The chief design challenge lay in combining varied specifications and functionality into a portable unit whilst achieving a user-friendly aspect.
Other suppliers including Celestica, Motion Media, NMI and the University of Strathclyde are expected to bring the videophone to the manufacturing stage.
