Researchers have developed a low-cost, long distance wi-fi network to give residents of remote villages in India access to eye care.
The network allows eye specialists based at the Arvind Eye Hospital at Theni, South India to examine and interview patients in nine remote clinics via high-quality video, the BBC reports.
The technology has been developed by the University of California, Berkeley and Intel Corporation in collaboration with the Indian hospital.
The new system uses fixed links between the remote vision centres and the hospital. It is virtually free to use compared with existing long-distance wi-fi which can be very expensive. Prior to the installation of the new technology villagers would have a day's travel to get an eye test.
Following the success of the pilot project, the current network is expected to expand to serve half million patients a year living in some the remotest part of South India.
