HIST 330 Deafness and Technology: Videophones and Webcams

Introduction
NTID had video phones in the late 1960s and early 1970s called Vista Phones, which were only usable with other Vista Phone users in the LBJ building and other locations across the campus. Developed by the Stromberg-Carlson company in Rochester, they connected a TV with telephone lines. However, the high cost of running data lines caused Vista Phones to be phased out. The RIT/NTID Deaf Studies Archive has two of these Vista Phones. The RIT/NTID Deaf Studies Archive has two of these Vista Phones.

Thanks to Scot Aktins, NTID Business professor, for contributing to this section.

Early Developments in VideoPhone Technology 
The videophone enables video and audio communication between two parties and has a long and interesting history. From its earliest inception in the late 19th century to its modern-day applications, the videophone has undergone significant development and transformation.

The concept of videophones goes back to when Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone. Scientists, including Bell, envisioned a device allowing people to communicate over long distances with sound and images. George Veditz wrote to Bell in 1915, asking him to create a videophone for the Deaf. However, it was not until the 1920s that the first practical videophone system was created. This system, developed by AT&T, used a small rotating camera and a cathode ray tube display to enable video communication. AT&Tsubsequently developed the 1956 “Picture-Phone” prototype in 1961. The Picture-Phone I premiered at the World's Fair in 1964 but had limited success due to compatibility issues with the telephone network and high expense. In 1970, AT&T came up with the PicturePhone II model, which was also unsuccessful.

The Advent of the Videophone and Challenges.
Throughout the 20th century, the development of videophone technology continued. In the 1930s, the German company Fernseh AG developed a videophone system that used a small camera to transmit images over a regular telephone line. In the 1960s, Bell Labs developed the Picturephone, the first commercially available videophone. However, the Picturephone was too expensive and cumbersome for widespread use, and it never gained widespread adoption.

In the 1980s and 1990s, videophone technology became more accessible and affordable. Companies like Sony and Panasonic developed consumer-grade videophones that used standard telephone lines to transmit video and audio. However, these systems still suffered from poor video quality and high costs, which limited their widespread adoption.

First Videophone Systems and its Evolution for the DHH Community
In 2002, videophone services were developed for the Deaf population in the United States. A video relay service (VRS) is a video telecommunication service that allows deaf, hard-of-hearing, and speech-impaired individuals to communicate over video telephones with hearing people in real-time, via a sign language interpreter. A similar video interpreting service called video remote interpreting (VRI) is conducted through a video interpreting service provider (VSP). VRS services have been regulated by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) since 2002.  Video relay services centers opened up across the U.S. in 2005.  Companies such as Purple, ZVRS,Convo, and Sorenson provided these services. 

In 2020, Sorenson added Wavello, a service that allows the hearing person who is a non-signer to be in a videophone call by registering his number and downloading an app. This way, the interpreter, the hearing person, and the Deaf person can see each other. Only the Deaf person can initiate a Wavello call at this time.

Overall, the history of videophones and video communication technology has been marked by significant advancements and challenges. While early attempts at developing videophone technology were expensive and difficult to use, later developments in the 1990s and 2000s made it more accessible to the general public. Today, video communication technology continues to evolve and plays a crucial role in facilitating communication and breaking down barriers for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing.

The Modern-Day Applications of the Videophone
With the internet and digital communication technology, the videophone has become more accessible and widespread. Today, video communication is a common feature of many messaging and social media apps, such as Skype, Zoom, and Facetime. These apps allow people to communicate with each other in real-time, using both audio and video.

The videophone has also found applications in various fields, such as medicine, education, and business. In the medical field, doctors and nurses can use videophones to communicate with patients and other medical professionals in remote locations. In education, videophones enable remote learning, allowing students to attend classes and interact with teachers and classmates from anywhere in the world. In business, videoconferencing has become a common way for companies to communicate with clients and employees in remote locations.

Impact of the Videophone on Communication
 The videophone has had a significant impact on communication, making it more personal and immersive. With the ability to see and hear the person on the other end of the line, communication becomes more natural and engaging. The videophone has also made it easier for people to communicate over long distances, reducing the need for travel and enabling remote work and learning. The impact of the videophone on communication has been significant, making it more personal, immersive, and accessible.

New Technologies
In the mid-2000s, video communication technology became more widely available and accessible with the emergence of services like Skype, FaceTime, and Google Hangouts, which allowed people to easily make video calls from their computers and mobile devices. This technology also paved the way for video remote interpreting (VRI), which enables individuals to connect with sign language interpreters remotely through video calls.

Check out CSD's Connect Direct, an innovative ASL call center that can be implemented to improve customer service to DHH people. This center uses Deaf ASL users and helps to save time, rather than going through the videophone relay service. Google, Comcast, and Square Glow are some companies using this ASL Now service.

If you are interested in the interpreting aspects of these technologies, check out the Interpreting Journals page.