So I just got this in my CommWeb weekly telephone
bulletin: (which you can probably subscribe to from
http://lyris.mfi.com/cgi-bin/lyris.pl?enter=telecomweekly).
2. WEIRDLY WIRED
An Underwater Phonebooth
France Telecom has invented a phonebooth that works underwater.
A UK-based news source is reporting that the system comprises
a buoy fitted with a GSM phone relay that connects to an
underwater phone booth. The terminal is connected to the buoy
by a wire, and is equipped with a telephone keyboard. A special
mouthpiece prevents the user from drowning while using the phone.
The product is pitched at "professionals working underwater",
presumably divers, archeologists and victims of rising sea levels.
France Telecom is planning to roll out the system in 2002. The
company is investigating a cordless version of the technology
that dispenses with the phone box and uses ultrasound or weak
electrical currents.
I particuarly like the bit about it being useful for "victims of rising
sea levels."
I guess this is not exactly keitai, even though it uses that technology.
After all, I see plenty of ISDN phone booths around here with a big FM
antenna sticking out the top; I would guess that they use PHS or whatever.
(Does anyone know?)
cjs
--
Curt Sampson <cjs_at_cynic.net> +81 90 7737 2974 http://www.netbsd.org
Don't you know, in this new Dark Age, we're all light. --XTC
Received on Fri Jan 11 07:08:08 2002