Espial announced that Allen Technologies, a US healthcare technology leader, has chosen the Espial Escape browser framework and Espial Espresso graphical user interface components, to deliver Walled Garden and Web content to patient hospital rooms as an IPTV solution.

The advanced features in Espial Escape enable popular Web browser functions and applications in each hospital room. Escape's support for Internet standards and popular plug-ins ensures a faithful, graphically-rich browsing experience. Escape's advanced TV features with Fit-to-Width, Remote Control Navigation and Font Flooring enable a tailored Internet experience for television.

Allen Technologies' IPTV systems convert each patient television set into a terminal in an interactive computing network. Patients will gain instant access to information that clarifies medical procedures or outlines additional hospital services. The additional ability to research information from the Web or stay connected through email and chat functionality is designed to improve patient care within American hospitals.

The decreased time-to-market Allen Technologies obtains with Espial software allows the company to take their software to market more quickly, and provide customers with advanced technology to meet database requirements and offer additional information to patients.

"Espial software helps us meet our customer requirements of an engaging Internet experience that is also robust and reliable enough for a highly demanding hospital environment," said Derek Foreman, CEO, Allen Technologies. "These capabilities are key to achieving our needed bill of materials and time- to-market considerations."

Hospitals will be able to generate additional revenue through the education and advertisement of these services, while also fulfilling data obligations set out by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCHAO).

"Espial has become the browser standard for American hospitals," said Dilshan DeSilva, Espial's marketing director for browser business. "Allen Technologies is committed to improving patient care through access to healthcare information and value-add hospital services. Our combined solution can help hospitals generate much needed revenue, while supporting their patients with information that's central to their hospital stay."

Allen Technologies is scheduled to deploy this IPTV solution in fall 2005.