The simplest way to transfer images is to e-mail them to the recipient as an attachment to a message. The image to be sent is stored on the sender's computer as a file, which may come from a digital camera(left) or be captured from the VideoLabs camera (right). Once the image is stored on the computer, it can be sent as an attached file through Eudora or some other e-mail progam. It is then treated as a normal piece of e-mail through the usual mailing process, at the end of which it reaches the recipient, who then views the attachment using image software of some sort.

This method:

• is high quality--the still images transmitted are high-resolution and generally not garbled in transfer
• requires "low bandwidth"--does not require a fast internet connection and will not bog down the local network (faster connections will reduce the time spent waiting while the e-mail is transferred to and from the mail server, however)
• can use digital cameras(above left), which can be brought into the field to obtain images on the spot
• is convenient--images can be sent at any time, without waiting for a specialist to be available for videoconferencing

• time lag--any response will come after the expert has had a chance to receive the image, check his/her e-mail, etc., etc.
• lack of interaction--since the images are sent at one time and viewed on the other end later, there is no opportunity for asking additional questions, requesting a different view, or other two-way involvement. If a different view is necessary, an e-mail may be send requesting "turn the sample over," (for example), followed by another message back with the new image, then another e-mail requesting more information, and so on. This assumes that the person who brought the sample in did not need to leave with it!

It is best to use this technique when real-time results are not necessary and high quality is very important, or when an expert cannot be reached via videoconferencing.