Teleconferencing (Terra Futura)

Teleconferencing was a method of visual communications over long distances. Those involved in a teleconference were often in different parts of the world. Hence, this idea could be used when necessary.

Background
Teleconferencing was the result of the invention of the Internet. In 1969, the Defense Department's Advanced Research Project Agency, known as ARPA or DARPA, was trying to create a network that could connect computers and scientists during a nuclear war. In December 1969, four computers in the United States were stationed to try out a new computer network called ARPANET. The network had problems at first. The creators typed an L and then an O, but the system crashed while trying in a G. The second time, however, was more successful, and, by 1975, more than sixty computers were on. In 1971, Ray Tomlinson became the inventor of e-mail allowing people to send messages to each other via computer. In 1977, Vint Cerf and Robert Kahn invented Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP). This allowed computer on ARPANET to better talk to each other. It is also where the term Internet came from. In 1990, CERN researcher Tim Berners-Lee invented hypertext and the web browser. This was the beginning of the World Wide Web and the modern Internet. When the Internet started, the purpose was to publish material for public consumption. When Web 2.0 came out, many people could do anything on the Internet. Social networking sites like Myspace, Facebook, and Skype were being launched. Teleconferencing became possible.

Description
Tech Level: 10

With the launch of Skype in 2003, teleconferencing became easier. However, as the years passed by, teleconferencing was made even more easy by ubiquitous computing. The Internet was being used on televisions. With that came OLED displays. These allowed for flexible electronic paper as well as wall screens that made teleconferencing so easy as to become common especially when someone could not actually attend a conference or a party due to being in the hospital or any other issue. When on the go, a virtual retinal display with a brain-computer interface would do the job. Eventually, teleconferencing would be replaced with telepresence.