Human Productivity Lab Announces Kirk Dennis as New Managing Director and Expanded Telepresence Consulting Practice

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What’s the difference between Video Conferencing and Telepresence?

Telepresence picks up where video conferencing left off. Telepresence IS real time, full-high-definition, immersible sound and vision. Telepresence IS most importantly: the feeling of being “there” when you’re “here”. Telepresence is lifelike, video conferencing is not. Telepresence is that hi-line Mercedes AMG, video conferencing is a Ford Escort - Period.

Why Telepresence now?

Video conferencing has been around a while now but has always lacked the feeling we spoke about above. Jumpy computer screens, broken audio and poor lighting add to the impersonal touches of video conferencing (ie slow motion camcorder on top of your computer monitor). Finally, technology, bandwidth, vision and sound have all converged on video conferencing to create the telepresence experience. It’s about time! Crystal clear surround sound and real-time full-high-definition visual effects enhance the feeling of being there – thus telepresence. That nervous twitch, roll of the eyes, sniffle, tap of the foot – things you see when you’re present and sitting across a conference room table – things you don’t see or feel from video conferencing, but do with telepresence.

Today, what “real” uses are there for Telepresence?

There is no short answer even possible here. We’ll name a few, more like we’ll put your imagination to work. Imagine a single specialist doctor in Canada treating patients in Haiti via telepresence. Robots in space doing the actual work while the telepresence operator dons his telepresence helmet and gloves at his workstation in Texas. Meeting your Russian company vice president while you’re in the executive telepresence room at the office in Denver. Just a few…

What are “real” savings of Telepresence?

Your imagination still working on the last answer? Don’t let up yet! What carbon footprint? Don’t need that airplane ticket to go check on your staff in Russia now do you? What lost life in the Iraqi war? Unmanned drones and soldiers via telepresence. Military and combat cost savings? Immeasurable. Less travel costs, airline frustration, fuel, lost time, carbon emissions, etc. Those are tangible, real savings to name just a very limited few.

You starting to see what telepresence can do that video conferencing can’t? We hope you see what we’re seeing! Telepresence – its time has arrived!

Check out the video thread in Section 8 of the Telepresence Forum where you can watch some Telepresence YouTube videos! If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video must be worth a million!

Ride on the "Next Plane of Existence" TM

Ashburn, VA (PRWeb) March 16, 2007 -- The Human Productivity Lab (HPL), an independent research firm and consultancy, announced today an expansion of its Telepresence Consulting Practice and the appointment of visual collaboration industry veteran Kirk Dennis as Managing Director. The Lab is also announcing an updated website for the Telepresence Consulting Practice at: http://www.HumanProductivityLab.com/Consulting/

The HPL's Telepresence Consulting Practice specializes in helping organizations understand, evaluate, purchase, and effectively deploy telepresence solutions to improve their ability to collaborate internally with distant branch offices and externally with customers, vendors, and joint venture partners around the world.

Kirk Dennis brings to the Lab more than 30 years of experience in various aspects of telepresence, visual collaboration, and 3D visualization. He possesses a combination of seasoned management, consulting and business skills, coupled with a strong and varied technical background.

Kirk has specific expertise in a variety of areas including market research and development, financial analysis, and creating/implementing project and business plans. In addition, he has established himself as an authority on telepresence, videoconferencing and 3D holographic imaging.

As Managing Director for HPL's Telepresence Consulting Practice, Kirk will assist clients in understanding their telepresence options with realistic ROI modeling, acquisition consulting, and multi-vendor custom solution design. Kirk can be reached at Kirk.Dennis(at)HumanProductivityLab.com.

About Kirk Dennis:

Kirk Dennis was most recently the President of VideoCom, Inc. which specializes in the design, sales, installation, and service/support of enterprise telepresence, 3D holographic imaging and videoconferencing solutions. Prior to founding VideoCom in 1998, Kirk was the Founder and Vice President Sales for SigmaCom, Inc., which specialized in integrating communications with Cisco, Microsoft and Novell enterprise networks. During his tenure at SigmaCom, Kirk sourced venture capital from British Far East Holdings; sold the company's system integration assets to Convergent Communications, Inc.; and renamed the remaining corporation as Cavion, Inc., which went public on the NASDAQ Exchange in 1999. Kirk has extensive experience in developing organizations for the sale and marketing of technology solutions. After working for five years as a sales representative with IBM's Office Product Division, he was on the initial sales management teams at Compaq, AST Research, Castelle and Cross Communications.

About the Human Productivity Lab

The Human Productivity Lab is an independent research firm and consultancy covering the telepresence and effective visual collaboration industries. The Lab provides telepresence consulting services to vendors, channel partners, and end users including: telepresence solution design, acquisition consulting, RFI/RFP development, technical / information security due diligence and market research among other engagements. The Lab's work and analysis is frequently featured in the media and trade industry publications including: Reuters, CFO Magazine, Pro AV Magazine, Killer App Magazine, and Telepresence World Magazine.

With 200,000 -- 400,000+ hits per month from over 65 different countries, the Lab's website at http://www.HumanProductivityLab.com ranks as the number one site on the internet for news, research and analysis on the emerging telepresence industry.

In 2007, the Lab will co-sponsor Telepresence World 2007, a landmark series of CXO-level conferences dedicated to the global telepresence revolution. The first conference takes place June 4th, 5th, and 6th 2007 on the campus of the University of San Diego. Visit http://www.HumanProductivityLab.com/TelepresenceWorld/ for more information.

The Lab's YouTube Channel at http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=HSL is YouTube's number one destination for videos on telepresence, effective visual collaboration, and personal and organizational productivity.

Though unequivocally pro-technology, the Lab tempers its enthusiasm with a firm understanding of technology's limits with respect to the all-too often neglected "Human Factors" of implementation.

While Productivity is our middle name we always put the Human First.

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