The international prestige of the research and training activities of the Minimally Invasive Surgery Centre Jesus Usón (JUMISC) in Caceres demanded a voice and data network to rise to the occasion. The solution introduced into their new headquarters to the Centre offers high levels of reliability and availability required to support their daily work, in addition to a network of audio and video signals, essential for their work and surgical training. Open to the future, is also prepared to work with IP telephony.

The Minimally Invasive Surgery Center Jesus Usón (JUMISC) made the move to its new headquarters, near the university campus in Caceres, Spain, to be able to install a network of voice and data communications with very high levels of availability and reliability needed to support its research, development and training.

Based on lessons learnt from previous facilities, the move to the new headquarters provided the Centre with the opportunity to acquire a powerful communications infrastructure, both internally and with the outside world, at the height of the international prestige of its activities, and a complete set of virtual televisions. Hence, the JUMISC can impart their knowledge to the entirety of its potentially interested parties, both in real-time and deferred.

The facility includes a network composed of three subsystems: the data network, network audio and video, and videoconferencing network. The data network based on Gigabite Ethernet and Fast Ethernet allows the interconnection of the subsystems mentioned, while guaranteeing its intercom in an efficient manner, both for sending control signals, such as when transmitting large amounts of data: control of multimedia devices, access control, medical data systems (Dicom), computer files, video IP, streaming video and audio, Internet, etc. .. It has also been adopted IP telephony, considering the future convergence of voice and data networks, although currently only used conventional telephony. The facilities JUMISC have Wi-Fi coverage in its entirety, which enables users to access servers and the Internet from anywhere. It also uses the wireless network for the control of audio-visual devices through touch-sensitive screens. Control of the entire infrastructure incorporates platform module central management, peripheral, authentication and mobility.

The audio-video network allows the management and sending of such signals from virtually all parts of the centre. The audio network pays particular attention to the flexibility and ease of operation management.

Emphasis on the importance of audio and video systems for the Centre. In the practice of minimally invasive surgery, related systems management and visualisation of the video signal is of great importance because, in this type of surgery, during the development of surgical procedures, the surgeon receives all the information through these signals. The surgeon has no direct view to the area he is working on; these are located through some ports of access by introducing the instrument and chamber. Audio also facilitates the practice of activities related to training and telemedicine.

Finally, the internal network of videoconferencing has been integrated within the network voice / data (H.323 and SIP / Gateway), as well as the multimedia network (management system signals audio / video / control), with a videoconference unit made up of several teams, a videoconference room and videoconference PC software. This integration makes it possible to optimise the use of communication with the outside world between voice services and video-conferencing.

Moreover, the close relationship with Regional Government of Extremadura allows for videoconferencing across data networks, which, implying better broadband, and a drastic reduction of costs. The Centre has created a network of Videoconferencing (Telesurgex) with 34 nodes distributed throughout Spain, located in collaborating JUMISC centres, (incorporating researchers, universities and hospitals), equipped with videoconferencing systems rooms, that JUMISC staff may hold multivideoconference sessions with up to sixteen simultaneous users. This tool is being exploited intensively in the areas of training, research and telemedicine.