HERMES

Objectives

HERMES project aims at implementing pilot operations both in Tele-Medicine and in Tele-Education, using asymmetrical Internet via satellite, dedicated hardware / software platforms. Applications implemented for Tele-Medicine are: 

• Reference Data and Medical Support Services 
• Multimedia patient record 
• Teleconsulting (one to one and/or multipoint)

Applications implemented for Tele-education are: 

• GIOTTO Platform
  – Video lessons (on demand/downloaded)
  – Virtual library
  – Laboratory (download)
  – Collaborative Learning (life)

   

• Technological Platform Evolv-e

Benefits

Tele-medicine: 

• Cost-effectiveness increase in access and utilisation of Medical Reference Data in clinical and academic scenarios; 
• Virtual Medical Consulting alternative to real one made possible.

Tele-education: 

• Telematic Giotto and Evolv-e Platforms implementation;
• Virtual Collaborative Learning implementation.

Features

The network basic architecture used to implement and develop this project is based on the Iperspace Platform for telemedicine and Evolv-e for Distance Learning which is composed of:

• The Service Centre, which hosts the servers equipment;
• The Hub, composed by: RF earth station, Base Band equipment, connected to the Service Centre;
• The Client, or the users receiving device ensuring the link to the Service Centre via satellite.

The Service centre provides the link and the hosting to the following application servers:

• The J-Hospital Multimedia patient Records for the support to the teleconsulting sessions;
• Mirror sites of Nettuno Educational Databases, based on ‘GIOTTO’ platform and delivered via Evolv-e;
• Mirror sites of IAEVA I, IAEVA II, EURORAD EU Projects Databases and related Medical Info/Consulting/Education/Tutoring Providing Services.

Users will be connected to the SC via ISDN and will receive downloaded data through satellite connection.

Challenges

Tele-medicine:

• Medical Reference Data
• Medical Info Services
• Multimedia Medical Records
• Tele-consulting

Tele-Education:

• GIOTTO Platform

– Video lessons
– Intelligent library
– Net
– Virtual Laboratory

 

• Collaborative Learning with Evolv-e Platform

Plan

1st Phase: Architectural Design

• Start up: September 1998 – Contract ESA for HERMES Project and start up
• BDR1 ( 1st Phase End ) : November 1998 – Architectural Design

2nd Phase: Service Implementation and marketing development

• Start up: December 1998
• MTR1 ( Telemedicine Platform set-up ): February 1999
• March 1999 – HERMES network update after definition of detail architecture
• MTR2 ( Service Implementation and Marketing Development, Tele-Education Platform set-up ): May 1999
• MTR3 (Service Implementation and Marketing Development, Telemedicine Platform upgrade ): December 2000
• MTR4 (Service Implementation and Marketing Development, Tele-Education and Telemedicine both operatives ): May 2001
• MTR5 (Service Implementation and Marketing Development, Tele-Education Platform upgrade, Telemedicine Platform final tests ): April 2002
• September 2002 : Change Notice addressing the transfer of Prime Contractor represented by Telecom Italia to Telespazio
• January 2003 : Beginning of the Pilot Trials HERMES Project for both the disciplines: Telemedicine & Tele-Education
• Final Review HERMES Project: April 2004

Current Status

The Final Review of the HERMES Project is considered successfully completed.