FIG. 4 shows schematically the components of a video conferencing system 31 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the system 31 includes multiple video cameras 32, a display screen 33, a microphone 36 and a loudspeaker 37 (the latter two of which may be combined in a single unit, as shown in FIGS. 1-3). The video cameras 32 and the microphone 36 provide inputs to a computer 39 of the system 31, with the display screen 33 and the loudspeaker 37 being arranged as outputs from the computer 39. The computer 39 has a processor 40 arranged to process the data received from the inputs and to control the data delivered to the outputs, e.g. in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

The computer 39, along with its inputs and outputs, is arranged in a first location (“l(fā)ocation 1”) at which one set of users may use the video conferencing system 31. The computer 39 is in data communication (e.g. via the internet) with a similar computer 49 in a different location (“l(fā)ocation 2”) at which another set of users may use the video conferencing system 31 to communicate with the user(s) at the first location. This computer 49 also has a processor 50 and is connected to multiple video cameras 42 and a microphone 46 which provide inputs, and to a display screen 43 and a loudspeaker 47 which provide outputs.