L4SBOA (pronounced Lisboa) is an L4S-based experimental network framework. We use L4SBOA as a prototype for further network optimization developments in practice for various telehealth applications – sending DICOM images for diagnostics (high volume of data but tolerance for high latency), telemonitoring via wearable devices (low volume of data but demand for low latency), televisits (a video call through apps such as Zoom – high volume of data and demand for high latency). As a result of this project, we will understand whether we need any optimizations for L4S to use for telehealth applications and potential alternative approaches.
Low Latency, Low Loss, and Scalable Throughput (L4S) Internet Service 1, 2, 3 has shown promising performance, by rethinking congestion control. Can we have a telehealth deployment with pairs of L4S nodes? Perhaps starting with something simple, such as two DICOM endpoints to send radiographic images in between? Linux kernel with L4S patches can be a good point to start for the endpoints. How L4S, with telehealth and other applications, as well as classic non-L4S traffic, share the network will be an interesting test.
As rural Alaska is largely unconnected by the road network, people often need to fly into larger towns such as Fairbanks and Anchorage for their healthcare needs. This state of affairs has steered the telehealth initiatives in Alaska much more than elsewhere in the US. Our research partners from healthcare organizations such as Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) utilize telehealth in their daily operations. Improved telehealth access and performance can significantly benefit the patients and providers in terms of patient satisfaction and comfort.