title: Telebation: next-generation telemedicine in remote airway management using current wireless technologies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Since the first remote intubation with telemedicine guidance, wireless technology has advanced to enable more portable methods of telemedicine involvement in remote airway management.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) services were evaluated for quality of image transmitted, data lag, and audio quality with remotely observed and assisted intubations in an academic emergency department. The VoIP clients evaluated were Apple (Cupertino, CA) FaceTime(®), Skype™ (a division of Microsoft, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg), and Tango(®) (TangoMe, Palo Alto, CA). Each client was tested over a Wi-Fi network as well as cellular third generation (3G) (Skype and Tango).
  
  
  RESULTS
  All three VoIP clients provided acceptable image and audio quality. There is a significant data lag in image transmission and quality when VoIP clients are used over cellular broadband (3G) compared with Wi-Fi.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Portable remote telemedicine guidance is possible with newer technology devices such as a smartphone or tablet, as well as VoIP clients used over Wi-Fi or cellular broadband.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85750, USA. jmosier@aemrc.arizona.edu
authors.forename: Jarrod
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mosier
authors.forename: Bellal
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Joseph
authors.forename: John C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Sakles
mesh_terms: D058109:Airway Management; D040421:Cell Phone; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D007828:Laryngoscopy; D011786:Quality Control; D012984:Software; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000379:methods*; D059015:Wireless Technology