Page 217 - Intelligent Communication Systems

1 86 INTELLIGENT COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS
In addition to this care system, an entertainment service could be provided to
patients by using HyperReality via workstations installed in their home; patients
would be able to access a doctor's or caregiver's center to ask for care. While stay-
ing at home, the patients could also visit places or do things remotely.

13.3.3 Construction of a Platform for HyperReality
To develop the aforementioned services, a platform is needed to provide all kinds
of applications, including design work, elderly or disabled care, and entertainment.
For example, in the case of design work it should provide human-friendly design
tools not only to designers but also to customers. And human-friendly interfaces
should be available to the elderly or the disabled. The platform for design should
enable designers and customers to interact and collaborate on the design of new
goods that satisfy customers' demands.
Currently, a manufacturer produces goods that are distributed to customers via
wholesalers and retailers. A customer goes to a shop to purchase goods. Through
the introduction of a HyperReality platform, manufacturing and distribution would
be changed substantially. A customer would interact with a manufacturer to ask
them to produce a particular item, maybe even cooperating on the design, as if they
were in the same place. Once the design is complete, it would be sent on to a fac-
tory to be manufactured, after which it would be sent directly to the customer. This
would give customers access to any manufacturer in the world, enabling them to
ask the manufacturer to produce the goods desired.
By enabling customers to choose one of the best manufacturers throughout the
globe, competition among manufacturers should be stimulated. To survive this
competition, manufacturers will have to strive to make better goods. They will
have to employ the best creative designers to beat their competitors. Manufacturers
will require information concerning customers' demands and will be forced to give
the best solutions to customers. Manufacturers will have to improve their skills and
produce better goods. All of this work will be done via the network, obviating any
need to get together physically for the design work.

13.3.4 Development of New Services
HyperReality will enable HyperShopping and HyperTravel to be provided. Hyper-
Reality will create a HyperWorld and one or more coaction fields where people,
real or virtual, will be brought together via the network to interact and work
together as if in the same place. Any place where a HyperRealty-based worksta-
tion is installed, people will be able to go to a HyperArt Museum or shop on Fifth
Avenue in New York City or the Ginza in Tokyo, all done virtually. To accomplish
this, Fifth Avenue will be shot by camera and sent to viewers over the network.
At the viewers station, the scene of Fifth Avenue will be displayed stereoscopically
on screen. They will be able to enter a virtual store and enjoy walking through
and shopping. They will be able to see the merchandise, look at it from any angle,
and grasp it by hand gesture. They will be able to order it through the network.