Communications of the ACM
ltrafast Internet Opens p New Possibilities: Experts
Experts polled by the Pew Research Center and Elon University say Internet connections that are 50 to 100 times faster than the current average fixed high-speed connection will transform online communication and interaction.
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Superfast Internet connections will transform communication and interaction, according to about 2,550 experts polled by the Pew Research Center and Elon University.
Experts foresee a greater opportunity to experiment with telepresence and take advantage of remote healthcare. They also predict vivid telepresence will enable people to instantly get together and collaborate face-to-face in cyberspace with no travel necessary, the survey found.
"Augmented reality will extend people's sense and understanding of their real-life surroundings and virtual reality will make some spaces, such as gaming worlds and other simulated environments, even more compelling places to hang out," the study said.
The survey also found that experts predict gigabit connectivity, or speeds of 1,000 megabits per second--about 50 to 100 times faster than the average fixed high-speed connection--will make such immersive experiences possible. Gigabit bandwidth could be widespread later this decade, but experts are still unsure what the killer app will be.
University of California, Berkeley professor Marti Hearst thinks the new connections mean people will "play sports and music virtually, distributed, across the globe" while some can have "virtual Thanksgiving dinner with the other side of the family."
Meanwhile, Carnegie Mellon University's Jason Hong foresees "far better telepresence, in terms of video quality, audio quality, [and] robotic control."
From Agence France-Presse
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