Release date: 27 Mar 2006

Virtual frosted window goes live at University of York's Centre For Usable Home Technology

CUHTec in association with research partner Visionradio, is pleased to announce the installation of a new demonstration in the York Responsive Home. This takes the form of a twoway video link with a camera and a TV screen in each of two dwellings.

The image is deliberately obscured so that it looks as if you are viewing the other room through a frosted glass window.

"We wanted people to feel that they were near to each other even though they were far apart, on the other hand we didn't want people to feel they were being spied on", said Andrew Monk, director of CUHTec.

The intention is that this virtual frosted window could be used to link the homes of an older person and an adult child. "Families increasingly live far away from each other and out of sight is, all too often, out of mind", said Andrew. "It would be like a daughter seeing movement in the house over the road, when actually Mum is miles away". The system builds on Visionradio's existing easy2 CareWatch system, a security device to allow visual monitoring of high risk items. All it requires is an inexpensive set top box and a domestic TV.

The cameras are also moderately priced and do not require a computer to connect them to a broadband service. Andrew points out that at the moment this is only a demonstration of what is possible. The next step is to connect some real families and see what value, if any, they find in it and whether it leads to more direct forms of social contact.

For more information on the Centre For Usable Home Technology visit http://www.cuhtec.org.uk/