Tele-Presence Microscopy: A Progress Report

Abstract In 1995, we presented the initial design and demonstrated operation of the Tele-Presence Microscopy (TPM) Collaboratory at ANL. At that time the primary interaction mode for the Collaboratory was passive operation where the user was given a fixed interaction space with the system. Since then a number of changes have been implemented in both the system and its configuration. While the TPM Site is still accessed using browser based technology (URL = http://tpm.amc.anl.gov) the decisions which have been made at ANL since then, have necessitated that restrictions to the nature of the client browser software. Due to the requirement that TPM provide both a platform independent persistent electronic space as well as real time imaging, we have chosen to implement server push technology. This means that only those browsers which are fully compliant with Netscape Version 2.0 or greater now have full access to the TPM Site (MS Internet Explorer is not compatible with this technology).