The laboratory of the twenty-first century is nothing without its sophisticated, high-tech instruments and apparatus. However, in every laboratory at some point in time, each and every piece of equipment will either fail completely, perform poorly, need servicing or require scheduled maintenance. When this happens, the laboratory will require a service technician, skilled in the appropriate field, to travel to the site to diagnose the problem, order the parts and repair and test the equipment. This is an expensive and time-consuming process, resulting in delays and unwanted costs on the part of the laboratory. No laboratory can afford to have a piece of equipment functioning poorly, or not functioning at all, for any length of time. Recognizing this problem, Real Time Service (RTS) has patented a process for remotely providing lab equipment support and service assistance over the internet using audio and video. The RTS system allows a researcher or manager at the laboratory to connect remotely to a technician via a real-time telecommunication link that, uniquely, allows both audio and video communication.

 

       While there are other platforms already existing that also offer remote support, none can offer the audio and video connection of Real Time Service (RTS). This is provided via a patented combination of hardware (videoconferencing assembly) to transmit the audio and video signal, and a web platform to connect the host, technician (either RTS staff, manufacturer or third-party support provider) and the in-house service experts. Other systems on the market tend to operate by collecting hardware information remotely (such voltage and flow level, for example), and then reviewing it off-site before offering feedback and solutions or just machine to machine (MTM) monitoring. However these services fail in providing "over the shoulder" support in the case where an issue may be resolved by simply having capable hands directed by remote assistance and aided by real time audio and video.