From a Distance: Mobile phones as live broadcasting devices 
Lois Lydens, National Science Museum, Japan, Japan
Makoto Manabe, National Science Museum, Japan, Japan
Tomoyuki Ohashi, Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, Japan
http://www.kahaku.go.jp
Live broadcasting using a mobile phone is one of the newest ways we are applying technology at the National Museum of Nature and Science in Tokyo, Japan. A mobile phone can provide live broadcasting capabilities for museum galleries, school classrooms, community centers and even fossil sites. With the right kind of equipment; namely, an audio/video port on the phone, this type of broadcasting can be simple to set up, dynamic and spontaneous. Common concerns regarding resolution quality and phone charge expense are not onerous, compared to other modes of information delivery. The image is good enough to allow people to communicate clearly. Also, communication charges are a pittance compared to the cost of transporting a lecturer to a venue. Phone broadcasting is an opportunity for interactive activity that allows different groups to defy spatial constraints. We provide details on several recent telecommunication experiences with links in Japan and abroad.
Demonstration: Demonstrations - 2 [Close-Up]
Keywords: mobile phone technology, science museum, live broadcasting, distance learning, telecommunications, interactive technology
