Mobile Internet, mobile Web, mobile Telemedicine.
Vincenzo Della Mea, University of Udine, Italy

Introduction
In the last years, the rapid growth of wireless transmission technologies, together with the unforeseen success of the World Wide Web, lead to the possibility and the need of making the Web available also on portable tools. However, this cannot be done painlessly, because usually handheld devices have stronger constraints than personal computers, from the hardware as well as available bandwidth points of view. 
The present paper describes three main topics: a brief introduction on the current technological situation, the now starting WAP approach, and the near future of IMT2000. 
The current situation
Current Wireless Technology
The first generation of systems for mobile communications was based on analogue transmission, and is currently still present in the world, without having really adopted standards. The second generation is based on digital transmission, and includes systems such as GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications), DCS-1800 (Digital Communication System at 1800 MHz), ERMES (European Radio Messaging System), and to a lesser extent DECT (Digital European Cordless Telephone). The GSM family of products (GSM + DCS-1800), which represents the first large scale deployment of commercial digital cellular system ever, has already been adopted by over 190 operators in more than 80 countries. Similar standards have been developed in the rest of the world, leading to some interoperability issues among the main systems, which will be solved by the forthcoming third generation IMT2000 systems.
Current Web Technology
The world Wide Web is mainly based on the HTTP communication protocol, and, as a content language, on HTML plus graphical, audio and video formats. In addition to this, active behaviour may be inserted into web pages by means of three main approaches: CGI, which allow for server-side computations, and Java and Javascript, for client-side computations.
WAP - Wireless Application Protocol
An overview
The Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) is an attempt to define an industry wide standard to bring internet content and advanced services to wireless devices, ina way independet from systems, vendors and applications. WAP is an open architecture, enabling a user to access the same applications from a number of different terminals in networks such as GSM, CDPD, IS-95, and PDC. 
The WAP architecture includes, the communication protocols, the content format (WML) enhanced by a scripting addition (WMLScript), and a WML browser specification. Furthermore, the architecture supports the so-called WTA, network independent value-added telephony applications.
The communication protocols
Communication is based on a lightweight protocols stack, which allows for different wireless networks, including GSM. The stack is made up by seven layers, which include protocols such as  WDP (Wireless Datagram Protocol), WTLS (Wireless Transport Layer Security), WTP (Wireless Transaction Protocol),WSP (Wireless Session Protocol) and finally WAE (Wireless Application Environment).
WML - Wireless Markup Language
Wireless Markup Language (WML) is a lightweight document language, based on XML. Although similar in concept and possibilities to HTML, WML recognizes the constraints of handheld devices such as small display, low bandwidth, limited computational resources and user input facilities. 
In WML,  all information is organized into a set of cards and decks. Cards specify units of user interaction (such as a text entry or a choice menu). A deck is the unit of content transmission, exactly as an HTML page,  and it is identified by a URL; it is made by a set of cards. WML supports text and images, has hypermedia features (i.e. linking and navigation among cards), and may be extended thanks to WMLscript in order to produce full, lightweight applications.
WMLScript
WMLScript provides general scripting capabilities to the WAP architecture, in conjunction with WML. Basing on ECMAscript, and similarly to Javascript, it can be used to  develop small applications for handheld devices like cellular phones. 
An example
The following image corresponds to the starting page of an eventual information service on WAP, from which you can access some other document (namely lectures), place a phone call to a specified user, send an email to the same user.

CATAI SERVICES
1. Lectures
2. Call O.F.R.
3. Email O.F.R.
Ok

This corrresponds (in a simplified way) to the following code:
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<!DOCTYPE WML PUBLIC "-//WAPFORUM//DTD WML 1.0//EN"
	"http://www.wapforum.org/DTD/wml.xml">
<WML>
<CARD> CATAI SERVICES
<SELECT KEY=“What”>
	<OPTION VALUE=“L” ONCLICK = “#Lectures”>Lectures</OPTION> 
	<OPTION VALUE=“C” ONCLICK = “#Phone”>Call O.F.R.</OPTION> 
	<OPTION VALUE=“E” ONCLICK = “#Email”>Email O.F.R.</OPTION> 
</SELECT></CARD>
<CARD NAME=“Lectures”>
…code for accessing Web documents
</CARD>
<CARD NAME=“Phone”>
…code for making a phone call to O.F.R. 
</CARD>
<CARD NAME=“Email”>
…code for sending email to O.F.R.
</CARD>
</WML>

The development of WML content is usually made by means of specific tools, provided by phone producers (e.g., Ericsson and Nokia) as well as by independent companies (e.g., Phone.com). Such tools often include a cellular phone emulator, which is able to show the results on the computer as they can be seen on the phone. Other tools include server, gateways and so on (usually commercially available, while content development tools are free of charge after registration). 
IMT2000 and UMTS
An overview
IMT2000 (International Mobile Telecommunications Systems - 2000) is a standardisation effort of ITU (International Telecommunication Union) which is trying to bring interoperability into the wireless communications technology. In fact, the three greatest regions, i.e., Europe, America and Asia, followed different directions when passing from first generation analogue systems to second generation digital systems. Aim of IMT2000 is to have third generation systems able to intercommunicate worldwide, with global roaming, service portability and multimedia, for wireless as well as for wired communication terminals.
The IMT2000 system will not be just an improved cellular system. In fact, it will provide for a universal communications system composed by all types of networks, including satellite systems, 
terrestrial cellular systems, cordless systems  and wireless access systems. 
UMTS
UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) is the European third generation mobile
System, and is part of the IMT2000 family. In particular, it will have at least two IMT2000 family members, the former based on Broadband ISDN and the latter on an evolution of GSM.
Mobile Telemedicine
Wireless and mobile technology are starting to have a great  impact on the way health care entities are providing health care. Cellular digital networks and hand-held devices are extending the reach, range and manoeuvrability of applications  and content [4]. The emergence of personal mobile telemedicine systems using wireless links with video capabilities is imminent in the next few years thanks to UMTS.
In recent years, several mobile telemedicine studies with applications exploiting the cellular telecommunication technologies were presented. In particular, the exploitation of GSM and CDMA cellular networks has been proposed for telemedicine-supported ambulances, while in-building wireless communications may be used for giving doctors  access to patient' data at the bedside, for example by using a palmtop device. 

Links and References
-	WAPForum: http://www.wapforum.org
-	WAP specifications: http://www.wapforum.org/what/technical.htm
-	Phone.com: http://www.phone.com
-	Ericsson Developers Zone: http://www.ericsson.se/developerszone/
-	Ericsson R380 Emulator: http://www.symbian.com/epoc/r380wapemulator.html
-	Nokia Developers Program: http://www.nokia.com/networks/17/nadp.html
-	WAP Developers: http://www.wapdevelopers.org/
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