Cisco Technology Powers the New Sports Museum of America: Fan Experience to be Enhanced with Cisco Emerging Technologies and Sneak P

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Telepresence and Holography / Holograms - November 2008

Editor’s viewpoint on their differences, likenesses and future...

We all just recently viewed an historic CNN holographic interview on an historic Election Night. CNN stated this type of imaging has never been done before on National TV and I believe that. I haven’t seen anything like it. The live interview caught me by surprise and sure had the “wow” factor attached to it didn’t it? Here’s a link to the actual interview.

CNN Hologram Video

The question now has to be asked. Is it Telepresence?

I’m no expert on the subject but I’m going to throw my hat into the ring, go out on a limb and say yes, I believe it is. Although I know many video conferencing purists are rolling their eyes and grabbing their guns right about now with my statement.

While I do know that Telepresence still hasn’t been universally defined (Houston, we have a problem), here’s how I see it…. Broken down to its simplest form - “tele” (through electronic means) and “presence” (present). This is how I’m justifying my opinion by lumping holography and Telepresence together. Just as Telepresence is surely an offshoot of video conferencing, holographic imaging (like we viewed on CNN) surely has to be considered an offshoot of Telepresence. The interviewer was “telepresent” from Chicago and beamed into the CNN Election Headquarters. She was most assuredly - “telepresent”. There was negligible latency, the imaging was fantastic and both interviewers were rehearsed on what they would say. I’ve just recently read that CNN actually “downgraded” the experience to make it “movie” quality and not as good as it could have been. Maybe they thought us mere mortals would be shocked if they showed their complete hand. I have a feeling it was so big to them, they didn’t want it to get upstaged by the historic election. I’m willing to bet we’ll see the “true” power of this technology in the upcoming weeks and months when they can put the pedal to the medal and show it off without having it sidetracked.

What an amazing time for this technology (all differences and opinions aside). Telepresence Doctors, nurses, teachers, schools and healthcare (healthpresence) will benefit from the recent gains in this state-of-the-art industry whether holograms, Telepresence or holography. Airlines also have to see the threat to a portion of their business travel. Hell, who wants go through security and fly to Miami for a two-hour conference when you can look them in the eye via Telepresence?

Beam me up Scotty! Simply amazing…!

Visit the free Telepresence Forum for more information and discussion

Your Editor and Administrator - L II
"Ride on the Next Plane of Existence" TM

NEW YORK (Business Wire EON) February 14, 2008 -- "Cisco is proud to be associated with this one-of-a-kind experience as both organizations share a common passion and commitment to sports and fan entertainment. Cisco will use the power of our unique technology solutions to enhance the visitor experience in the museum. Fans have a real association with their favorite teams, and their experience can be more intimate, interactive and immersive when Web 2.0 technology is applied in a complementary way," said Jeff Platon, vice president of marketing, Cisco Sports and Entertainment Group.

Located in Lower Manhattan, the Sports Museum of America will showcase the spirit of America through sports, including the inspiring stories and heroes that resonate with fans of all ages. SmA will also be the new permanent home of the Heisman Trophy and the televised Heisman Award Presentation, as well as the Billie Jean King International Women's Sports Center, which will include the first women's sports hall of fame.

"We chose Cisco for the Sports Museum of America because of its superior technology solutions and industry leadership. Cisco has demonstrated a strong commitment to sports and is helping us create a unique experience for our visitors. We've designed SmA for sports fans first and foremost, and ensuring that they enjoy every moment of their visit and want to come back again is our primary goal," said John Urban, president of the Sports Museum of America.

"The Sports Museum of America is a great example of innovation as it seeks to 'wow' visitors using emerging technologies in fresh ways to educate and entertain its visitors. All the SmA activities and experiences are real-life examples of the power of the human network," said Marilyn Mersereau, senior vice president of corporate marketing for Cisco.

The Sports Museum of America will use a wide variety of Cisco technologies to enhance the visitor experience. Highlights include:

-- The "Stadium of the Future," presented by Cisco - This exhibit will give visitors a sneak peek at the Cisco technologies that will make the experience of the game more intimate, interactive and immersive for fans, as well as provide new growth opportunities for teams and leagues.

-- Interactive Sports Trivia Kiosks - Multiple kiosks will be available throughout the Fan Culture Gallery, offering visitors access to exciting content and interactive features, such as trivia, statistics and game video on-demand.

-- Dynamic Digital Signage - High definition digital signage displays will be used at the box office, in the retail environment and throughout the museum. The displays will show a variety of dynamic content, including live sports video, ticketing information, special offers, sports facts and SmA updates in real-time. The displays will also show custom messaging about various exhibits, providing relevant information to fans throughout their visit, and creating showcases for exhibit sponsors.

-- Cisco TelePresence Experience - This immersive video technology uses high-definition video and high-quality audio to create virtual "in-person" experiences over the network. Using Cisco TelePresence, visiting fans can meet face-to-face with star athletes and sports celebrities, as well as participate in roundtable discussions. SmA can also utilize this technology to host events incorporating industry experts, coaches and sports leaders from around the world.

-- Social Networking - Since fans are everywhere, SmA plans to offer an online community through its Web site, using Cisco's new entertainment operating system. Sports fans around the globe can join like-minded fans to discuss top stories, chat with athletes and speak their mind about their favorite sports.

In addition, SmA plans to add other emerging and advanced technologies from Cisco over time, in order to continue to enhance the museum experience for fans, families, its corporate customers, educators and the media.

About Cisco Systems

Cisco, (NASDAQ: CSCO), is the worldwide leader in networking that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate. Information about Cisco can be found at http://www.cisco.com. For ongoing news, please go to http://newsroom.cisco.com.

About the Sports Museum of America

The Sports Museum of America (SmA) is the nation's first and only all-sports experience richly showcasing the history, grandeur and significance of sports in American culture. Created in exclusive partnership with over 50 single-sport Halls of Fame, National Governing Bodies and other sports organizations across North America, SmA features amazing state-of-the-art interactive technologies, dramatic original films and an iconic collection of sports memorabilia. SmA will also be home to the legendary Heisman Trophy (and annual televised presentation) and the Billie Jean King International Women's Sports Center, inclusive of the first hall of fame devoted exclusively to female athletes and coaches. Located in New York City at 26 Broadway (next to the "Charging Bull" and footsteps from the Statue of Liberty Ferry), the Sports Museum of America will open in May 2008. http://www.sportsmuseum.com/.

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To learn more about Telepresence, the revolutionary new style of immersive video conferencing; visit these websites:

Telepresence - "Ride on the Next Plane of Existence" - Telepresence
Telepresence Web Portal - Telepresence Internet web portal
Telepresence Report - 24/7 breaking Telepresence related news and information
Via Telepresence - Video conferencing via Telepresence
Telepresence Forum - Free user discussion forum for everything Telepresence related
Telepresence Today - Telepresence information and editor qualified headline news
Telepresence Resource Directory - Telepresence web resource directory
Telepresence Tube - Telepresence videos, pictures and more