AV News September 2021

The direct channel to the industry

September 2021 www.avnews.co.uk Page 16

Page 24

Back to school

The future of projection

Despite recent issues surrounding exam results, why are educationalists unwilling to accept automated forms of assessment.

Why is this?

With advances in flat screen technology and its progress in key markets what is the is the future projection?

Exertis appoints Director of AV Exertis has today confirmed the appointment of Jamie Brothwell as Director of AV. With 19 years in the channel, Brothwell brings with her a wealth of experience and has proven herself to be an effective leader of teams by transforming the performance of the areas she has accountability for.

Most recently, Brothwell has done this with Exertis’ Accessories, Peripherals and Own Brand Division in role as Commercial Director. Prior to this, she held roles in Business Development for B2B and led Exertis’ Print business to deliver record sales and revenue growth. Brothwell held roles at Samsung and Midwich Group prior to joining Exertis and has relationships with a number of key AV vendors.

Paul Bryan, Managing Director, Exertis UK&I, said, “This is a great example of the depth of talent in our business and the

Jamie Brothwell, Director of AV, said, “It’s a really exciting time for the business and I am very much looking forward to working with our Exertis team, customers and vendor partners as we continue our Pro AV journey.” opportunities available for progression and development at Exertis. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Jamie on her new role and wish her every success.”

Microsoft and NEC extend partnership Microsoft Corp. and NEC Corporation have announced an expansion of their decades-long collaboration. Through a new multi-year strategic partnership, the companies will leverage Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365, NEC’s network and IT expertise, including 5G technologies, and each other’s AI and IoT solutions to help enterprise customers and the public sector across multiple markets and industries further accelerate their cloud adoption and digital transformation initiatives.

The partnership will see NEC adopt Microsoft Azure as its preferred cloud platform to deliver enhanced capabilities to drive sustained digitalization, help customers transform their business models, and build Digital Workplaces for the post-pandemic “new normal.”

To accelerate NEC’s Digital Workplace innovation and workforce transformation, the companies will work together to migrate NEC’s on-premises IT

environment to Azure and deploy Azure Virtual Desktop and other Azure services among the NEC Group’s 110,000 employees worldwide. This modernization builds on NEC’s existing Microsoft 365 platform and will enable a highly sustainable environment that is more secure and robust, accelerating cloud migration for NEC and its customers throughout the commercial and public sector in Japan and around the world.

The companies will work together to help improve digital services for public sector and enterprise customers through workplace and workforce transformation. Greater speed and lower-latency data connections will provide high-performance network experiences to create more efficient workplaces and empower employees to realize more personalized work styles for public sector as well as private sector customers.

Leveraging the assets of both companies, including Micro-

soft’s Intelligent Edge solutions and NEC’s private 5G networking technologies, the companies will work together to help customers across industries transform. In retail, for example, the two companies will work together to analyse customer transaction data in real time using AI to better understand buying patterns, improve operational efficiency and identify new market opportunities.

The combination of Azure and both companies’ AI and IoT technologies and expertise will enhance NEC’s customer experience through advanced solutions and enable more secure maintenance and operation of stores. In addition, NEC and

The combination of Azure and both companies’ AI and IoT technologies and expertise will enhance NEC’s customer experience through advanced solutions and enable more secure maintenance and operation of stores. In addition, NEC and Microsoft plan to explore network innovation initiatives built on Microsoft Azure for enterprise domains and specific industries.

Microsoft plan to explore network innovation initiatives built on Microsoft Azure for enterprise domains and specific industries.

PIXERA platform key to immersive AV attraction Studio 100 and CityCubes have joined forces to launch an innovative new experience, Studio 100 Story Studio, which uses a combination of spectacular, life-size projections and an audio story told through headphones to immerse the audience in each adventure. The Studio, is based on the Meir in Antwerp, and will be the very first time an immersive AV attraction of this kind has been available in Belgium.

One of the main stories brought to life at the Studio 100 Story Studio takes place aboard an archaeology ship trying to discover the mythical city of Atlantis. During the experience,

visitors are guided through different times, locations, and dimensions to the supposed current location of Atlantis. Each of the six rooms at Studio 100 Story Studio houses a part of the story and, as visitors progress, more pieces of the puzzle are revealed.

An additional story focusses on the world of “Maya the Bee”, originally a classic children’s book that became an international phenomenon in the form of an acclaimed animated series. The Maya story arc is even more interactive than Atlantis, with visitors of all ages being asked to dance, fly and shake like the world-famous bee. The

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general narrative follows Maya, who is looking for a hugely important beehive party. Visitors can assist the adventurous bee during her travels through a number of different immersive worlds.

A total of 52 Panasonic projectors were required to provide the immersive visuals for this Continued on page 4 Studio 100 and CityCubes have joined forces to launch an innovative new experience, Studio 100 Story Studio, which uses a combination of spectacular, lifesize projections and an audio story told through headphones.

[Photo credit: CityCubes]

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Intuitive Machines stick lunar landing Houston-based Intuitive Machines (IM) is a premiere provider and supplier of space products and services enabling sustainable exploration of the Moon, Mars and beyond. They have recently completed construction of Nova Control, a state-of-the-art mission control centre in Houston that will track and support IM’s upcoming, back-to-back-to- back missions to the Moon (IM-1, IM-2 and announced this week, IM3).

Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C spacecraft will be launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket to conduct first-of-its-kind lunar research and exploration of the Moon’s surface. Nova Control will serve as the nerve centre for communications, connecting ground stations and various payload* customers around the world using Clear-Com Eclipse HX Digital Matrix System and Agent-IC Mobile intercom App. Nova Control is described as a world-class control centre built from the ground up by IM’s highly experienced team and enables collaboration between ground teams responsible for tracking, telemetry and communications support for cis-lunar space travel, landing and exploration. “For our voice communications system, we needed something intuitive and highly capable,” explains Brian Mader, Mission Operations for Intuitive Machines. “We built this room from scratch and ran exhaustive tests to make sure the technology we chose suited our needs exactly, because the communications between Nova Control and the rest of the globe are critical to the success of the mission(s).”

IM’s system is distributed

throughout Nova Control in Houston, across multiple US states and even spans to other countries. The Eclipse Median frame is located in Nova Control’s server room, 14 V-Series Panels are located in the control centre and avionics lab (FlatSat) across the hall, and one V-Series panel is placed with IM’s launch team at SpaceX's facility at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The launch team, other remote IM employees and satellite ground stations in the UK and Australia will be equipped with Agent-IC—a mobile app for smart devices that can connect to the Eclipse HX system over 3G, 4G, LTE or Wi-Fi - for constant monitoring of mission communications.

“With Eclipse, V-Series Panels and Agent-IC, it was simple to facilitate a wide variety of local and remote communications

PPDS has announced the appointment of Ian Ainsworth as its new UK sales manager. Part of PPDS’ continued investment and commitment to customers in bringing the industry’s top talent to the business, Ian joins the company from leading AV distributor – and PPDS partner – Exertis UK, where he spent almost 15 years holding a number of senior commercial and business development management positions Hailed by his former colleagues and customers as a ‘driven’ and ‘motivated leader’, Ian takes up his new role as UK sales manager already equipped with extensive knowledge of the PPDS brand and its range of Philips professional TVs, digital signage (including LED) and interactive display products and solutions, having played a key role in the company’s growth during his time at Exertis.

Based in the north of England and reporting to UK Sales Director, Martin Ware, Ian is primarily overseeing the company’s growing interactive UK sales, as well as channel management, further growing PPDS’ presence in the UK market. Commenting on his new role, Ian, said: “I am enormously excited to be joining PPDS, a

company I already have extensive experience of working with first-hand, during which time it has made significant waves in the industry and has become a brand synonymous with bringing high quality, highly innovative and advanced products and solutions to support almost every major vertical.”

He continued: “Since I started this new role, the whole PPDS team – both in the UK and across EMEA, many of whom I have worked with for many years already, have made me feel incredibly welcome. I’ve already been in touch with many of our partners and I look forward to continuing this to highlight even more of the benefits provided by our latest range of solutions – as well as our dedicated new partner programmes – to develop business across the range of verticals, notably for me this year, retail, hospitality, education and corporate.”

Martin Ware, UK Sales Director at PPDS, added: “At PPDS, we recognise the value and importance of our teams. Bringing industry leading products and solutions to market, we need the best people on board to communicate that message and to make the process from

ant for these missions.

The IM-1 lunar mission will carry payloads for various NASA research centres and space flight centres, and it will be the first to carry payloads to the Moon on behalf of commercial entities, including Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, the International Lunar observatory Association in Hawaii and Louisiana State University. All payload customers will be using Agent-IC to listen to mission activities.

The IM-2 mission will be the first to land on the Moon’s South Pole and the first to use an ice drill on the Moon. It will also mark the first deployment of IM’s micro-Nova which will hop around the Moon’s surface and take the first-ever pictures inside craters on the lunar south pole. In partnership with NASA, Nokia, and Lunar Outpost, IM-2 will also

workflow with Eclipse HX and Agent-IC will remain the same.

“One of the things that drove us to use Clear-Com is that they’ve been around for a very long time and offer industry-proven equipment that gives us great confidence to support us through this entire mission,” concludes Mader.

The IM team has already been hard at work prepping and training for the IM-1 mission, which is scheduled for early 2022. Earlier this month they ran a fully integrated lunar orbit insertion simulation, and everyone was really pleased with the performance of the comms system. Intuitive Machines is ready to ‘stick the landing’ in 2022! *object or the entity which is being carried by an aircraft or launch vehicle

Continued from page 1

Microsoft and NEC extend partnership Through the partnership, the companies will work together to double the number of digital-focused engineers within the NEC Group who are specialised in Microsoft technologies.

This investment in technical capabilities and the expertise of NEC’s employees will help ensure customers’ digital transformation success, benefiting the market and society.

“As we’ve seen over the past year, digital adoption curves are accelerating across every industry and business function,” said Satya Nadella, chairman and CEO, Microsoft.

“Our strategic partnership with NEC brings together the power of Azure and Microsoft 365 with NEC’s services and infrastructure expertise to help public and private sector customers build resilience and transform during this era of rapid change.”

“NEC is pleased to enter into this strategic collaboration with Microsoft Corp.,” said Takayuki Morita, president and CEO

of NEC Corporation. “With Microsoft’s trusted cloud and services, the experience that NEC has cultivated in its own systems, and both companies’ AI and IoT technologies, we will enable companies globally to use digital services that are safer and more secure than ever before as they progress with digital initiatives.”

“The need for sustainable transformation to ensure business resiliency and growth has never been more important in the world and especially Japan,” said Hitoshi Yoshida, president & CEO, Microsoft Japan. “Our partnership will help accelerate the industry’s cloudbased digital transformation and utilization of data migration and help Japan’s continued success globally, leading to greater economic and societal prosperity.”

This announcement is based on a history of strong collaboration between Microsoft and NEC spanning more than 40 years.

PIXERA platform key to immersive AV attraction

needs, all managed through the EHX Software,” said Mader. “With a cohesive communications platform managing terrestrial coms, our team can focus on what’s really import-

demonstrate LTE/4G communications on the Moon between Nova-C and Lunar Outpost’s rover. IM-2 will include different payload customers, but the

Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C spacecraft will be launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket to conduct first-of-its-kind lunar research and exploration of the Moon’s surface.

attraction; all of which were simultaneously controlled and driven by AV Stumpfl PIXERA servers and software (one master and five render engines). A show starts every 15 minutes and takes about one hour, meaning that up to six shows are being run in parallel from the single PIXERA master.

CityCubes’ creative partner Dieter Veulemans underlines the importance of a reliable system setup: “What we created here in Belgium was a “neverbeen-seen-before” technology project for which we put all our

trust in our partners and PIXERA. "It’s crucial that our shows stay on for several hours each day and this for several months and that we feel assured by all the AV equipment in use. Everything depends on the systems and the hardware, and I can assure you we fully trust in these systems and that I sleep well during the night.” The Studio has already stated that other stories and experiences will be added in the future to attract all ages to the story telling studio.

PPDS appoints Ian Ainsworth as UK sales manager Is Hybrid working here to stay?

P4 AV News September 2021

PPDS has announced the appointment of Ian Ainsworth as its new UK sales manager. consultation to installation a fast, seamless and stress-free one.

“Ian was already a well-known and highly respected sales professional at PPDS, having played an important role in building brand awareness and generating new business for the company during his career. Ian’s well-established and close working relationships with both colleagues and customers have allowed him to settle in quickly and to hit the ground running, with a number of significant projects already underway. We’re delighted to have someone of his calibre with an equally impressive skillset on board.”

Yes, according to eFax if businesses want to retain talent Three quarters (76%) of UK IT decision-makers believe their organisation could have made the transition to a hybrid model sooner if they were aware of the pros and cons before the pandemic. This is according to the latest research from eFax, the cloud-based fax solution for businesses.

The eFax research found that with most employees now accustomed to the flexibility of being able to work remotely, and many employers now offering this in the long term, organisations that do not offer such flexibility risk deterring their workforce and being unfavourable to future talent.

Half of all UK IT decision-makers (51%) believe the inability to attract and retain talent and over a third (38%) believe being unable to accommodate family life, are big risks if business do not enable a hybrid workforce.

A further third (34%) believe it would risk a disengaged culture among employees.

Scott Wilson, Senior Director, Sales & Service, eFax, stated: “Since the pandemic struck most of the workforce that previously worked in offices, were forced to work from home. The

huge shift to remote working was made possible by technology, such as online fax services and video conference applications, that provided all the capabilities of being in the office and often with even more benefits.

“Digital transformation initiatives have allowed organisations to move much of their workforce to remote working.

Office fax machines have been swapped with online fax services, whilst video conferencing has replaced in person meetings, enabling employees to perform remotely without limitation,” continued Wilson.

According to the eFax research this has worked well, with more

than three quarters (76%) of UK IT decision-makers stating that their organisations could have made the transition to a hybrid workforce sooner, if they were aware of the pros and cons of moving to a hybrid working model, before the pandemic began.

Wilson concluded: “It is clear that companies have enjoyed success from a hybrid workforce model, made possible by their digital transformation initiatives. Although many employees may choose to return to the office, the possibility to work remotely is a great option for those that wish to use it. A hybrid workforce is here for the long-term.”

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Business News

DCC forms Exertis North America business unit

TeamViewer / Siemens Healthineers WeScan partnership

DCC Technology has announced the formation of a new business unit, Exertis North America, to manage the operations of its recent acquisitions Jam Industries and Stampede. According to Tim Griffin, Managing Director of DCC Technology, Marty Szpiro, the long-time President and CEO of Jam Industries, is stepping up to serve as President & CEO of Exertis North America.

Stuart Frenkel, Jam Industries’ current CFO, will become the new President of the renamed Exertis/Jam. Stampede, which rebranded as Exertis in 2020, will operate under the Exertis Pro AV banner led by John Dunne, its President and Managing Director.

“DCC Technology’s has established leadership positions in selected value-added distribution specialisms in North America,” Griffin said. “The rebranding of Jam Industries to Exertis/Jam is a natural next step as we continue our focus on our people, our vendors

Siemens Healthineers has recently started offering its customers WeScan - a new service leveraging TeamViewer’s connectivity technology, that helps healthcare providers to perform ‘Magnetic Resonance Imaging’ (MRI) examinations if they lack qualified radiology staff. With the WeScan service, customers may seek access to a pool of skilled remote imaging technologists who help operate the MRI scanner using syngo Virtual Cockpit, the remote scanning software offered by Siemens Healthineers.

As Siemens Healthineers assists customers via WeScan from outside their own IT-network, real-time data transmission across the internet and high security standards are central requirements. Therefore, Siemens Healthineers has

security and performance requirements. WeScan generates high volumes of data that have to be exchanged between IT networks in real time. This is where the TeamViewer technology plays out its strengths as known across industries for various use cases.

Additionally, TeamViewer’s Conditional Access feature enables rule-based and very granular access management and helps achieve the degree of security that’s vital in the healthcare industry. “TeamViewer has been an important partner for many years,” says Wolfgang Heimsch, Head of Customer Services at Siemens Healthineers. “The number of use cases in a hospital environment for which we need to gain secure, high-performance access to our systems is on the

industries. We recognize that remote-access solutions can be a key element in overcoming this challenge, since both the employees and the devices to be operated are globally interconnected, and this means they can be leveraged much more efficiently now.”

Siemens Healthineers has been using TeamViewer for several years on many tens of thousands of its imaging and laboratory diagnostic devices worldwide, such as MRs and CTs, in hospitals and doctors’ offices to remotely maintain them and support clinical staff around the world. With WeScan, the company is now moving a step forward, making additional services available to improve device capacity utilisation and expand patient access to healthcare, in addi-

formed a new partnership with TeamViewer. TeamViewer’s remote connectivity technology is now incorporated as part of the WeScan service offering because of its high security standards, powerful data transfer performance and ease of operation.

Thanks to the interaction of TeamViewer with syngo Virtual Cockpit, and the global remote connectivity infrastructure of Siemens Healthineers, Smart Remote Services, it is now possible to support the scanning process on demand from outside a customer network meeting all the relevant

rise. That makes our partnership with TeamViewer increasingly important, and we believe it offers great potential.”

Lukas Baur, EVP Solution Sales at TeamViewer, comments: “With WeScan, Siemens Healthineers is offering a highly innovative service that provides genuine added value for its customers. We’re pleased that TeamViewer can make a crucial technological contribution to this novel solution, and thus also to the further digitalisation of the healthcare sector. The shortage of highly qualified employees is a huge challenge for many

tion to the established remote support for maintenance and repair scenarios.

WeScan is not commercially available in all countries and/ or for all modalities. If the services are not marketed in countries due to regulatory or other reasons, the service offering cannot be guaranteed.

Also, syngo Virtual Cockpit is not commercially available in all countries. Due to regulatory reasons its future availability cannot be guaranteed.

and our customers. We have a great team in place and the journey has just begun.” Clive Fitzharris, Managing Director of Exertis International, added that, “We are delighted with the growth and development of our Exertis branded business in North America. It is a priority market with great potential.

Congratulations to Marty, Stuart and John.”

Commenting on his new role, Marty Szpiro noted that, “The acquisition of Jam Industries was a great success – with DCC Technology/Exertis clearly adding tremendous resources to our growth mission. I see my new role as a great opportunity to unite a tremendous family of distribution companies into a single, powerful market force that delivers value and growth for all stakeholders.”

Exertis entered the North American market in 2018 with its purchase of Buffalo, New York based Stampede, a leading nationwide Pro AV distributor. The same year, it acquired

Tim Griffin, Managing Director of DCC Technology: DCC Technology has announced the formation of a new business unit, Exertis North America, to manage the operations of its recent acquisitions Jam Industries and Stampede Montreal, Canada based Jam Industries, the leading Pro Audio, MI and CE distributor in Canada and the US. Both businesses have since grown organically and by acquisition including the acquisitions of JB&A in San Francisco and The Music People of Hartford, CT within the last year.

Holdan acquires Intro 2020 Holdan, part of the Midwich Group, has announced the acquisition of the business and certain assets of Intro 2020, a specialist distributor of imaging products. Established in 1971, Intro 2020 is one of the country’s leading suppliers of photo and pro-video equipment, carrying such brands as CamRanger, Cokin, Cotton Carrier, Hoya, Kenko, Lenspen, Op/Tech, Plustek, Samyang, Slik, Steiner, Summit, Tamrac and Velbon.

The acquisition takes place immediately, with the migration of systems and data taking place over the coming weeks. Every effort is being made to ensure that the transition is as smooth as possible for Intro 2020 customers.

Allan Leonhardsen, Managing Director, Holdan, commented: “Intro 2020’s extensive imaging portfolio and established client base in the professional

photography segment is extremely attractive to Holdan as they perfectly complement our broadcast & professional video offerings. Strategic acquisitions such as this allow Holdan to take full advantage of emerging segment crossover opportunities to maximise revenue going forward.”

Keith Ruffell, Managing Director, Intro 2020, commented: “I am delighted that we have been able to reach a deal for Intro 2020 to become part of Holdan. This not only secures the future of our business, but also opens up a bright future of growth with the backing of a large, successful multi-national company. Our brands and products have great synergy with those that Holdan already offer, and we look forward to providing a bigger and even better service to our valuable customers.”

Unified Comms, Contact Centre and Cyber Solutions provider, Babble, has announced the acquisitions of both Concert (Concert Networks Limited) and 5 Rings (5 Rings Telecom Ltd and 5 Rings IT Ltd). The deals - which are the fifth and sixth completed by Babble in 2021 – extend the leading tech business’s UK-wide footprint, adding scale across the NorthWest and the South Coast.

The announcement continues the period of growth at Babble, with a highly successful buy and build strategy complemented by robust organic growth resulting in a transformational cloud technology business that now has over 25,000 UCaaS, 24,000 mo-

bile and 4,000 CCaaS users, as well as a burgeoning Cyber, IT and MSP customer base.

As one of the earliest adopters of UC technology, Concert has quickly grown to become a highly trusted comms partner to businesses across Cheshire and the North-West. The deal further cements Babble’s presence and customer base across the region. Since 2007, 5 Rings has deployed unrivalled flexible telecommunications solutions to SMEs. The acquisition will add scale to Babble Comms and materially build Babble Cyber, while expanding Babble’s footprint onto the South Coast.

Matt Parker, Chief Executive of Babble, said: “Our goal has al-

Allan Leonhardsen, Managing Director, Holdan: “Intro 2020’s extensive imaging portfolio and established client base in the professional photography segment is extremely attractive to Holdan as they perfectly complement our broadcast & professional video offerings.”

Babble increases national footprint

P6 AV News September 2021

ways been to transform the way our customers work through the deployment of the right technology. Throughout 2021 we have completed a number of strategic acquisitions aimed to expand, deepen and strengthen our offering, allowing us to serve even more customers across the whole of the UK and beyond.”

Babble now has five hubs across the UK - London, NorthWest, Midlands, North-East and the South Coast - with 200 staff located nationwide. The business supports over 3,500 organisations across a broad range of sectors - including financial, health and education, travel and accommodation, and public services – by sourcing,

Babble now has five hubs across the UK - London, North-West, Midlands, North-East and the South Coast - with 200 staff located nationwide. deploying and supporting locally the very best cloud solutions

to deliver increased efficiency, itability, whilst protecting cuscustomer engagement and prof- tomers’ businesses.

Business News

PPDS adds control and management with Crestron PPDS has announced that it is among the world’s first manufacturers to gain Crestron XiO Cloud certification. Part of PPDS' unparalleled adoption of Crestron’s full ecosystem for seamless end-user experiences, this unique and highly collaborative partnership opens up incredible opportunities for a multitude of industries – including corporate, education, hospitality, retail and others – with PPDS bringing the most advanced and complete version of the award-winning XiO

Control, Remote Management, Video Distribution and Unified Communications solutions.

Bob Bavolacco, director of technology partnerships at Crestron, commented: “PPDS has become a deeply integrated Crestron partner, adopting and rapidly embracing our technology at a level that surpasses anything else seen in the current marketplace.”

First unveiled at ISE 2018 as part of Crestron’s ‘AV Matrix for the IT Age’ range of enterprise solutions, the ever-evolv-

for new devices by up to 90pc.

Once displays are connected to the network, they will automatically retrieve their settings, programmes and firmware specific to the environment being used, and immediately begin reporting data. With Crestron XiO, customers can configure thousands of Philips profes-

sional displays in the time it takes to configure one – no programming and no hassle.

The certification of Crestron XiO Cloud further extends and strengthens the two tech giants’ collaborative partnership to bring world class enterprise solutions to market for enhanced, seamless end user experiences. In 2020, PPDS became a Crestron Connected Gen 2 certified and trusted partner, using embedded Crestron technology to provide fast, reliable and secure enterprise level solutions for complete tech and office equipment automation.

The first examples of the relationship included the launch and availability of a range of new products, including Philips B-Line and C-Line interactive displays.

Sian Rees, International Product Manager Software at PPDS, commented: “We’re absolutely delighted to be able to bring this revolutionary solution to our partners and customers, strengthening our relationship with Crestron and taking our Philips professional displays further into the Crestron ecosystem. For XiO Cloud, we’ve gone deeper than many other manufacturers to maximise the benefits and capabilities of the ground-breaking solution. Offering the ultimate experience and performance for our partners and customers.”

Bob, added: “With PPDS, the end client is able to purchase a world-class Philips professional display solution, designed for use in almost in any vertical, that from day one is natively embedded and fully integrated into Crestron’s full ecosystem of products and solutions, of which XiO Cloud is the latest.” With Crestron XiO Cloud, updates can be scheduled on individual displays or collectively, entirely remotely and at

a convenient time – such as during non-office hours – or staggered across rooms’ usage or occupancy (never more visible on XiO Cloud, see below), for greater levels of efficiency, consistency and security to the workplace.

Troubleshooting can also be tackled immediately and entirely remotely, with Crestron XiO Cloud monitoring all devices at all times, sending AV/ IT managers instant alerts whenever an issue is detected. This allows problems to be addressed as and when they occur – even before the user realises – reducing potential disruptions or equipment shutdowns to keep spaces up and running, without running to them. With rooms and devices automatically monitored 24/7, Crestron XiO Cloud’s workplace analytics helps give managers better understanding of how rooms and systems are being used. These include system usage versus occupancy, and new people counting functionality to understand how many people are actually using rooms versus their current capacity**.

This could potentially solve issues around meeting room availability, depending on the technology user’s needs. AV/IT managers are able to configure the technology used in a room to conform to the exact users’ needs and requirements before they even enter it – whether that’s a one-off need, or, for example, successive meetings taking place daily, monthly or even annually, cutting or removing set up time delays.

According to research, the average delay per meeting for employees is approximately 10 minutes and 40 seconds, equivalent to 3 days and 2 hours lost annually, while 40pc of workers waste up to 30 minutes just searching for a collab-

orative space for meetings. The cost of poorly organised meetings in 2019 was estimated at $399 billion in the US in 2019 alone and $58.11 billion in the UK. Customers can purchase the Crestron XiO Cloud service on a monthly basis, with pricing based on the number of rooms and service options you require.

Bob added: “The industry has evolved quickly in recent years.

Analogue to digital, isolated to networked and server-based to Cloud-based. While technology has moved on, though, some of the historic problems, pains and frustrations have remained. Rolling out hundreds of displays and devices reliably and quickly can be very time consuming and a sizable investment. Even fairly simple but important updates can result in disruptions or even complete shutdowns, costing the company time and money.

“Depending on the size of the company, it can also be difficult to keep track of the technology available in each room, how occupied rooms are, and how often that technology is even used. With XiO Cloud and working closely with PPDS, we’ve created an entirely new approach, bringing AV and IoT together to Philips professional displays to create smarter working and learning environments.”

Sian concluded: “By supporting different product lines and continuing to develop in the Crestron ecosystem we provide our customers with scalable future-proof solutions that meet all their different needs. This is yet another major milestone in our journey in combining best-in-class technology with world-leading third-party solutions partners, in order to best serve our customers and help them be the best they can be.”

AWE has been appointed by Sound United as the exclusive distributor for the renowned loudspeaker brand, Bowers & Wilkins, and audiophile electronics company, Rotel, within the UK custom installation (CI) channel. AWE is the leading UK distributor to some of the custom installation trade's highest quality brands, including Denon, Marantz, and Definitive Technology,” says Jason Dear, General Manager, Sound United UK & IRE. “The company is acknowledged as setting the standard in the professional home technology sector for customer service with award-winning training and technical support.”

He adds: “This move is in line with our commitment to better support the custom installation channel with premium demo facilities, technical assistance, and stock availability. We're confident that this partnership will live up to that commitment based on our previous success with AWE and the Denon, Ma-

rantz, and Definitive Technology product range.”

Home technology integrators will benefit from the new partnership as follows: •Substantial stock will be held

by AWE with next day delivery •Bowers & Wilkins and Rotel installers will have access to AWE’s impressive onsite demonstration facilities which are currently being upgraded to feature Bowers & Wilkins and Rotel products •Bowers & Wilkins and Rotel will join Denon, Marantz, and Definitive Technology at AWE which will streamline dealers ordering efficiency •An experienced product support team with a wealth of technical knowledge to assist you with product specification and system design “This move is great news for both Bowers & Wilkins and AWE customers,” comments Stuart Tickle, Managing Director of AWE. “It is our job to deliver the highest level of service to Bowers & Wilkins dealers

and ensure that the performance-led brand has a dealer base to match. This is a competitive and congested market with so many companies selling so many loudspeakers, but there is only one Bowers &

Wilkins. We are excited to add such a prestigious company to our portfolio and will deploy all our resources and experience to represent the brand and serve its dealers to the highest level.”

hospitality, retail, public venues and corporate industries, among others.

With Crestron XiO Cloud, the long, often costly and disruptive configuration process for new displays and other devices is now a thing of the past, with customers able to centrally configure and provision all their Philips professional displays (and other compatible solutions) in all rooms before the products have been installed and without visiting the site.

This can cut installation times

Built on the Microsoft Azure platform – used and trusted by some of the world’s leading and most data sensitive organisations, including Fortune 500 companies – Crestron XiO Cloud integrates seamlessly with a wide range of Philips Windows and Android digital displays and pro TVs to suit the customer’s needs and requirements in any indoor environment.

Cloud control and management solution available anywhere in the current market.

Fuelled by a joint desire to bring scalable, transformative and future-proof solutions to

ing Crestron XiO Cloud makes the ability to deploy, manage, monitor and evolve your workplace displays a simple, fast and secure process, enabling remote control of the display’s

AWE: new exclusive distributors for Bowers & Wilkins and Rotel

meet the ever-changing needs and demands from the market, this deep collaboration between PPDS and Crestron brings the greatest levels of integration and support to the Crestron ecosystem from a display manufacturer. Driving productivity and long-term financial gains for customers and enabling them to maximise the benefits and capabilities of both companies’ award-winning solutions.

With Crestron technology now embedded and compatible across almost all Philips professional displays (including pro TV, digital signage and interactive), PPDS has become one of the world’s few display manufacturers to support all four of Crestron’s key technology integrations, including its

functions from a single location (including via a Crestron touchscreen device or a web UI dashboard).

Built on the Microsoft Azure platform – used and trusted by some of the world’s leading and most data sensitive organisations, including Fortune 500 companies – Crestron XiO Cloud integrates seamlessly with a wide range of Philips Windows and Android digital displays and pro TVs to suit the customer’s needs and requirements in any indoor environment. This includes its new range of Philips T-Line (for education) and C-Line (for corporate) interactive displays, plus the full range of digital signage and professional TVs, including MediaSuite, B-Line, D-Line, Q-Line, supporting the

P7 AV News September 2021

Business News

Eacs wins Technology Services 3 framework agreement Managed services provider Eacs has been awarded supplier status for the Crown Commercial Service’s new Technology Services 3 Framework (TS3), which is designed to support UK government bodies in delivering large service transformation schemes. eacs is one of just over 100 suppliers to have achieved the stringent pass mark following a thorough vetting process, with 64% of listed suppliers SMEs. This is the third iteration of the technology services frame-

work for central government and its arm’s-length bodies, NHS organisations and local authorities. The £2bn framework sought suppliers for a new segment designed to support government bodies in delivering large service transformation schemes. The procurement vehicle is intended to run for four years and will feature five lots, the first of which is dedicated to “technology strategy and service design”. Buyers can use the framework lots to appoint single suppliers, or to work with

multiple providers.

Kevin Timms, CEO, Eacs, stated: “We are delighted to have secured a place on TS3 which follows our announcement last year on our successful bidding to gain a place on the NHS SBS Digital Workspace Solutions Framework. Have always been firm believers in what the framework stands for - providing the public sector with access to IT services with guarantees of the highest standards of delivery. “The new framework will enable public bodies to cut

through some of the red tape that has previously restricted its access to the newest and most innovative IT services.

The simplified process makes it easier for suppliers such as eacs to provide these services, which in turn gives the public sector organisations far greater choice.”

Philip Orumwense, the CCS’ Chief Procurement Officer, explained: “Technology Services 3 has been designed and developed using an extensive discovery and consultative process

with many of our customers, suppliers, and partners. This framework truly reflects and represents their expectations and provides the platform for the country to build back better with the right mix of quality and innovative suppliers, including SME providers. This is another example of how CCS is putting customers at the heart of everything we do to help support the public sector to continue on its digital transformation journey.”

Founded in 1994, eacs supplies practical, innovative,

and cost-effective IT products, solutions and services to businesses. Crown Commercial Service supports the public sector to achieve maximum commercial value when procuring common goods and services. In 2019/20, CCS helped the public sector to achieve commercial benefits worth over £1bn – supporting world-class public services that offer best value for taxpayers.

With Yuppies gone – new groups have emerged A Poly global study has revealed six distinct workplace personas, and the associated trends that businesses must be aware of and adapt to in the world getting fine-tuned by a continuum of regional nuisances, the pandemic, and the new ways of work.

The study, by Factwork, identified six personas, which together make up 92% of a typical enterprise have distinct character traits. Through identifying the attributes, pain points, and communication intensity associated with each persona, businesses are better equipped to match workstyles and employee behaviours to devices and technologies, in turn increasing organisational productivity and meeting equality for workers collaborating from several different locations.

Jennifer Adams, senior sales experience and enablement director at Poly, explains: “We have been studying workplace personas for almost a decade, but never has it been as crucial as it is now to truly understand the personality types within your business and how to get the best out of them.

Whilst this study was conducted during COVID-19, we believe that the behaviour shifts observed in the workplace will remain long-term. Identifying these and ensuring that everyone has the correct tools and devices to maximise efficiency and productivity is the key to a successful and efficient workforce both now and for years to come.”

The six baseline personas are: • Office collaborator Making up the largest proportion of the workforce at 27%, these workers have a traditional office-based work style that is highly collaborative in nature, and open to new technology.

However, this brings with it background noise, and constant disruptions, and a need to seamlessly manage their communication across devices. The findings further predict a stark decline in this type of worker persona in the future underpinned by the uptick in their desire to work more flexibly in the future.

•Flex worker Splitting time between the corporate office, a home office and travel, 20% of the workforce is now a flexible worker who is always innovating and adapting their communications channels due to their frequent remote and on-the-go work. They risk having difficulty collaborating with colleagues, and missing important information in the office so they need to be “al-

ways-on,” and communicate across several devices to minimise this risk. The size of this persona group will likely grow as Office Collaborators who want to work more flexibly adapt to work at home, in the office and elsewhere.

• Remote collaborator With fewer opportunities for in-person meetings, the 15% of the workforce who are Remote Collaborators face challenges including successful and productive collaboration.

They need multiple devices, unified communications, and technologies to bridge the gaps between them and their colleagues, co-workers and clients. This persona will grow, likely from Office Collaborators who choose to work remotely following the recent, worldwide test-and-experience phase of remote working driven primarily by the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Office communicator Office Communicators are most comfortable with famil-

A Poly global study has revealed six distinct workplace personas, and the associated trends that businesses must be aware of and adapt to in the world getting fine-tuned by a continuum of regional nuisances, the pandemic, and the new ways of work. iar systems and devices such as a desk phone. They make up 13% of the workforce and it is important to acknowledge their challenges such as being diverted by interruptions, background noise and lack of privacy on calls. More tradi-

tional workstyles went through a change during the pandemic, and this persona group will be stable in the short term as this is a group anxious to return to the office.

• Connected executive These tech-savvy business drivers make up 12% of the typical workforce. They go wherever needed to make decisions and solve problems. Versatile in their work style, they use more communication tools than any other persona. Their pain points include diversions, interruptions and unpredictable background noise as they need to stay connected across all devices. Executives’ need to connect will continue to be persistent due to which there will be a negligible effect on this persona type in the future.

•Road warrior Accounting for 5% of the workforce, Road Warriors are always on the move working outside of the office more than 50% of the time. They need highly portable and easy to use solu-

P8 AV News September 2021

tions that eliminate noise and reduce the chance of unreliable connections. Some people will still need to travel at times to complete the business tasks that require in-person contributions. This group size will remain stable as those who were prevented from travelling during COVID-19 get back out to see customers and colleagues.

The remaining 8% of employees not covered by the six personas fall under the Office Independent type. This includes people operating in self-directed roles with limited communication and collaboration technology needs.

Technology News

ViewBoard for hybrid collaboration Developed for smaller collaboration spaces in hybrid work environments and classrooms, the ViewBoard 4320 offers integrated annotation and screen casting software, making it easy for users to share and collaborate with colleagues and teams in office or remotely.

“Driven by growing changes in the working model, ViewSonic stays innovative to create values, delivering our interactive display ranges in sizes from 24” to 98” with intuitive and engaging collaborative capabilities to address various needs from our customers.” says Monica Sun, Director

of the Presentation Group, at ViewSonic Corporation, “The ViewBoard 4320 is a combination of advanced software and hardware, creating a collaborative workplace with high productivity, flexibility and agility.”

Featuring a 43” Ultra HD 4K display with in-cell touch technology, the sleek and compact ViewBoard 4320 embodies the collaborative nature of huddle spaces and facilitates group discussions with high efficiency and engagement. With 10-point multi-touch functionality, it delivers a smooth and responsive handwriting experience for multiple users to

write or draw simultaneously.

Its USB-C one cable solution supports instant plug-and-play for A/V, touch, and power delivery, keeping the stream of ideas flowing in a disruption-free environment.”

The ViewBoard 4320 comes with the built-in myViewBoard suite to create a simple and secure environment to connect and collaborate intuitively in real-time. The digital whiteboarding solution allows users to draw, write, and annotate on the screen while accessing supported multimedia, screen recordings, file conversions, and QR code sharing features.

It also employs wireless content casting across a variety of platforms (including Windows, Mac, Chrome, iOS, and Android OS) and sharing screens via compatible browsers directly, and remote management of multiple displays that are located in different places.

The moderately-sized ViewBoard 4320 is designed to foster effective teamwork and boost productivity for group

it the ideal interactive display for spaces like huddle rooms, co-working spaces, or home offices, and maximises the flexibility to adapt to changing needs. For instance, instead of spending a large amount of budget on new equipment, it can be fit into a different style of workspaces regardless of how big or small the space is.

To optimise productivity based on different needs, a variety of

offers a 90-degree tilt, 45-degree swivel, and four different height adjustments for better viewing and interaction.

The moderately-sized ViewBoard 4320 is designed to foster effective teamwork and boost productivity for group discussions.

The ViewBoard 4320 comes with the built-in myViewBoard suite to create a simple and secure environment to connect and collaborate intuitively in real-time. discussions. It is also a perfect secondary display to assist teachers in creating an engaging remote learning environment from individual spaces and can be used as a powerful second screen for its perfect hardware and software integration. The size advantage makes

optional accessories like web cameras can be equipped to conduct video conferencing, and the active pen are available for a more natural writing experience. It also comes with two types of stands - the detachable desktop stand and the optional table stand that

New features for DisplayNote Logitech wireless earbuds Launcher for business DisplayNote has announced launch calls across multiple meeting room system without the latest version of its meetvideo platforms in the meeting the need for a device, cable, or ing room software, Launcher. space.

USB. Used in meeting rooms and In the latest software update, Asked about the new feacollaboration spaces worldLauncher has a new feature tures, DisplayNote COO Ed wide, Launcher is a smart inwhereby Teams and Zoom Morgan commented: “Today's terface for the meeting room meetings can be controlled workspaces will soon be viddisplay that allows users to from any windows-based table- eo-ready by default. As we’re view calendars, launch calls, top console. Users can toggle all using either Teams, Zoom and access content with ease. the camera, microphone, start or other meeting software to DisplayNote recognizes the imand end the call and control connect for most meetings, portance of creating accessible the call volume without leav- Launcher makes video calls in and fluid meeting spaces as ing their seat. This update also these spaces more open, fleximany organizations move tosees the addition of a network ble and, most importantly, prowards hybrid working. Launchdrive shortcut, making it quick ductive.” er, therefore, makes it easy for and easy for users to access users to access their files and their network drive files on the In the latest software update, Launcher has a new feature whereby Teams and Zoom meetings can be controlled from any windows-based tabletop console

P10 AV News September 2021

Logitech plans to help professionals stay clear, confident and connected in the next phase of hybrid work with the launches of its Zone True Wireless and Zone Wired Earbuds, the first targeted to be certified by all three major cloud video conferencing platforms—Google Meet, Microsoft Teams and Zoom Video Communications.

As many workplaces make a lasting transition to hybrid work environments, being connected has never been more important for employees joining video meetings and collaborating from different locations. Logitech Zone True Wireless earbuds upgrade video calls with the shape and fit users love, combined with the powerful audio that professionals need.

Equipped with a premium noise-cancelling mic and Active Noise Cancellation, Zone True Wireless gives crystal clear audio on every call, regardless of distracting surroundings.

This, along with a minimalist, modern design, enables a stylish look and a high-quality sound on video that helps us-

ers stay in the zone. “Current wireless solutions force consumers to compromise between either traditional headsets that are not aesthetically suited for video calling, or sub-optimal audio performance,” said Scott Wharton, general manager and vice president, Logitech Video Collaboration. “With Zone True Wireless and Zone Wired Earbuds, you no longer have to compromise. These earbuds were designed so people look great on video calls and have best-in-class audio certified by the top video platforms.”

Bluetooth plus the USB receiver provides a reliable connection between Zone True Wireless and both your smartphone and your computer, allowing users to effortlessly join video meetings and phone calls, moving easily between their two devices - all with double the battery life of leading consumer devices. These features give users confidence that their wireless earbuds are ready for every video meeting. Additionally, the certification with major video conferencing platforms

sets a higher bar for audio than leading consumer offerings, and for IT managers, it provides reliable performance across multiple devices within their entire IT ecosystem.

Zone True Wireless will be available in two colours, Graphite and Rose. The earbuds provide wearable comfort, connection across devices and perfect clarity on every call. Alongside Zone True Wireless, Logitech is also debuting Zone Wired Earbuds for professionals and teams who want a professional-grade, plug-and-play option.

Zone Wired Earbuds allow users to join from anywhere work takes them via USB-C, USB-A, and 3.5mm connectors. Logitech Zone True Wireless and Zone Wired Earbuds will be available globally in Autumn 2021 with an MSRP of £299 and £99, respectively. The Rose Zone True Wireless Earbuds will initially be available exclusively on Logitech.com.

EUROPE‘S LEADING STRATEGY CONFERENCE FOR THE DIGITAL SIGNAGE AND DOOH INDUSTRY The New Agenda • PRESENTATIONS

• WORKSHOPS

• PANELS

• EXHIBITION

• NETWORKING

• AWARDS

29-30 September 2021 Hilton Munich Airport, Germany Tickets and further information: digitalsignagesummit.org/europe

A JOINT VENTURE OF:

Technology News

Room solution offers 4K to everyone

DVDO has launched DVDO-RS-2, a simple AV solution that facilitates data and video sharing and collaboration in classrooms and conference rooms. As schools and businesses prepare for in-person and remote interaction, DVDO makes intuitive and reliable AV communication and camera

and audio system, as well as switch from HDMI and USB-C sources connected to the wall plate or receiver.

Despite its simplicity, RS-2 provides powerful future-proof AV handling, supporting true 4K@60Hz 4:4:4 uncompressed chroma with 18Gbps video bandwidth. RS-2 is fully

presentations. A sophisticated algorithm smoothly tracks the teacher or presenter, and with powerful 12X optical zoom, even white-board notes are clearly legible.

C3 is also equipped with a 72.5° wide-angle professional lens, low-light sensitivity with 2D / 3D noise

devices affordable for educators and professionals.

“RS-2 is an efficient AV backbone that lets teachers, students, and meeting participants access the room’s display, audio system, and technology from across the room,” said DVDO CEO Doug Fealtman.

“Paired with DVDO cameras, our room AV solutions enable convenient and safe learning, sharing, and discussion within classrooms and meeting rooms as well as streaming and remote collaboration.”

DVDO-RS-2 (MSRP $799) comprises a simple wall plate transmitter with HDMI and USB-C inputs as well as a USB host port, for students or meeting participants to connect their laptop. HDBaseT technology carries these signals up to 70m / 230ft across the venue to a receiver with additional ports located at the teaching desk, podium, or conference table. The receiver can output to the room’s flat panel display

compliant with HDMI 2.0b, HDCP 2.2, and DisplayPort 1.2a, as well as HDR10 and HDR10+. Multichannel audio capabilities include Dolby Atmos, TrueHD, DTS X, HD Master / HD High Resolution, 5.1 and PCM 8-channel uncompressed formats. RS-2 requires zero software or driver configuration and provides POE, so only a single Ethernet cable run is needed between the receiver and the transmitter wall plate, minimizing installation and maintenance cost.

DVDO Room Solutions are said to work perfectly in conjunction with DVDO streaming / conferencing cameras for classrooms and conference rooms to become accessible to remote attendees.

The top of the DVDO commercial camera lineup, the DVDO-C3-1 (MSRP $1499). is an advanced Full HD 60fps Pan / Tilt / Zoom (PTZ) camera with intelligent auto-tracking, ideal for education and large

reduction, H.264/265 video and AAC audio encoding for crystal-clear video and audio quality.

The DVDO-C2-1 (MSRP $1049) provides all of the professional features of C3, including PTZ, 12X optical zoom, and advanced audiovisual processing without the auto-tracking feature, making it perfect for enterprise standardization and SMB meeting-room installations. Lastly, the DVDO-C1-1 (MSRP $109) is a high-quality Full HD pro webcam with integrated microphone, low-light sensitivity, and wide-angle performance, suitable for individual students and workstations.

DVDO cameras, KVM / HDMI switches, splitters, matrices, extenders, and accessories are available from the company’s website and through distributors and Pro-AV resellers.

Avaya and Microsoft Announce Integration of Microsoft Azure Communication Services with Avaya OneCloud CPaaS Companies Expands Scale & Reach with Global Collaboration

Avaya (NYSE:AVYA), a global leader in solutions to enhance and simplify communications and collaboration, today announced a strategic relationship with Microsoft to create a powerful set of joint cloud communications solutions to define the future of customer and employee experience.

Benefitting from the complementary strengths of both companies, the joint solutions include Avaya’s award-winning1 Avaya OneCloud CPaaS (Communications Platform as a Service) now integrated with voice, video, chat and SMS capabilities of Microsoft Azure Communication Services for combined global reach, scale and functionality.

Additionally, Avaya and Microsoft have strengthened the integration of Avaya OneCloud.

This relationship with Microsoft is a key element of Avaya’s stra-

tegic partner ecosystem, leveraging extensive collaboration with leading cloud, technology and channel partners to provide flexible, composable solutions with leading-edge innovation for our customers.

“Avaya and Microsoft are responding to our customers who have asked us to deliver more integrated experiences for Avaya OneCloud Contact Centre running in Microsoft Azure and Microsoft 365. Together we are providing true integration, spanning not just the contact centre application itself but also the underlying communication platforms. Additionally we will be implementing Microsoft’s powerful AI capabilities via Azure Cognitive Services,” said Anthony Bartolo, Executive Vice President and Chief Product Officer, Avaya. “Avaya’s market-leading solutions in Cloud Contact Centre combined with Microsoft’s presence in cloud collaboration is compelling for existing and new

P14 AV News September 2021

customers alike.”

“The global collaboration with Avaya is an example of how Microsoft, collaborating with other industry leaders, is meeting businesses’ requirements for integrated communications solutions that transform customer and employee experience,” said Scott Van Vliet, Corporate Vice President, Intelligent Conversation and Communications Cloud, Microsoft. “This relationship benefits from the combined strengths of the two companies to connect businesses to their customers via powerful communication experiences across platforms – all with the resiliency, enterprise-grade security and cloud scale of Microsoft Azure.”

Kramer launches VIA Connect2 Kramer is extending its popular VIA family of sharing and collaboration solutions with the launch of VIA Connect2. This newest VIA is designed to facilitate hybrid meetings and learning in the Hybrid Generation (‘Generation H’) for the enterprise and education markets. With its ease of use and enterprise-level security, VIA Connect2 enables infinite ways to engage, transforming any room into a collaborative space.

Since 2020, much of the global workforce has been working remotely. VIA Connect2 provides businesses and organizations the flexibility they require for employees, clients and consultants to engage with each other, collaborate and maintain productivity in hybrid work environments.

School districts and universities have a similar need to create smart, wireless hybrid education classrooms for in-class and remote learning to strengthen student participation and engagement. VIA Connect2 creates one Unified Communications & Collaboration (UC&C) experience, with flexibility for wirelessly sharing, engaging and collaborating anywhere, from any device, with

any video conference platform.

It also features a wired HDMI input for automatic switching to an in-room 4K or HD display.

Users can Bring their Own Meeting (BYOM) either using built-in VIA apps for mobile and desktop, or app-free over local networks via AirPlay® and Miracast® for a fast and touchless connection. Once paired, every meeting and class benefits from the VIA Connect2’s ability to add professional inroom AV equipment via USB. This flexibility includes adding displays, cameras, microphones, speakers and more, delivering the best AV performance for in-room and remote participants. Alternatively, the Teams or Zoom client can be launched with one click directly though VIA Connect2.

Simple, flexible, and secure, VIA Connect2 is designed for Generation H. It enables any Windows, Mac, Chromebook, Android, or iOS device to instantly and wirelessly join a meeting or class with enterprise-grade security. In the office, remotely from home, in-transit, or the other side of

the world.

Like the entire family of VIA solutions, VIA Connect2 can be centrally deployed, managed and configured using VIA Site Management (VSM). This advanced software management platform enables IT administrators and integrators to maintain hardware remotely via the cloud or through on premises networks.

Simple, flexible, and secure, VIA Connect2 is designed for Generation H. It enables any Windows, Mac, Chromebook, Android, or iOS device to instantly and wirelessly join a meeting or class with enterprise-grade security.

Next generation AirMedia from Crestron Crestron has announced the next generation of the AirMedia Presentation Systems, a portfolio of wireless presentation devices purpose-built to support more intuitive and efficient meetings in the modern workplace with onetouch presentation and meeting control from any collaboration

device. AirMedia devices seamlessly connect presentation, collaboration, and display capabilities together for the enterprise workspace on the Crestron Flex digital workplace platform.

Collaboration drives performance in today’s enterprise workplace and as businesses return to a hybrid-first work environment, in person collaboration has become even more important. The new AirMedia delivers the most efficient and effortless wireless presentation and collaboration experience, enabling employees to maximize their time together by simply walking into any meeting space, turning on a display or connecting to a laptop, and instantly be able to access and share content through any device so they can concentrate on the task at hand.

AirMedia supports wireless content sharing and conferencing from any device, whether BYOD or on in-room displays, and between either internal teams or guests. The new AirMedia boasts several new features to enhance the presentation and collaboration experience, including: •Advanced Presentation – Share up to nine screens, allowing for

multiple documents to be seen and worked on simultaneously and eliminating the need to constantly change between presenters. AirMedia also dynamically adjusts the layout based on source to ensure an immersive presentation experience.

•Enhanced 4K video support – Provides high-quality streaming for meetings so even the most detailed content is seen clearly, improving collaboration across the organization •New customizable user interface – Redesigned user interface allows users to customize their logo and backgrounds for a fully branded environment, as well as view important room information.

The AirMedia Connect adaptor brings detethered wireless presentation to the AirMedia lineup, providing a simple and intuitive way to make any space a meeting and collaboration space. With the AirMedia Connect, you can add wireless presentation capabilities to any space without the need for additional wiring or infrastructure. AirMedia Connect also provides a way to simplify guest presentation, without the need for presenters to connect to the internal network.

Native support for Microsoft Teams or Zoom video conferencing ensures that meetings happen within seconds, either through a wireless connection on the AirMedia network or by plugging any USB-C® device into the AirMedia Connect, without the need to download additional software. “AirMedia adds one-touch presentation and control – an import-

ant component of an efficient meeting experience – to our award-winning Crestron Flex collaboration technology for the modern workplace.”

AirMedia works on the Crestron Flex digital workplace platform, which provides accessibility for every enterprise endpoint device from room scheduling to conferencing, and from lighting and shading to thermostat control. Enterprises can simply mix-and-match to design meeting spaces that best suit how their teams connect and collaborate. Management and software updates for AirMedia are effortless through the Crestron XiO Cloud Service, which ensures a centralized experience for configuration, deployment, updates, and analytics for end-devices in the enterprise.

•The AM-3100 Receiver, a new, entry-level option that supports wireless presentation on the secure AirMedia network, perfect for smaller applications such as huddle spaces, education and stand-up spaces where simple wireless presentation is needed.

•The AM-3200 Receiver, an updated version of the legacy AirMedia device, brings additional features, including an audio output for interfacing with room audio, DUAL LAN network, HDMI® input to support wired and wireless presentation on a single room system, and RS232 and IR ports for built-in display control.

•The AM-TX3-100 Connect adaptor for enabling wireless sharing without cables or connection to an enterprise network. The AM-TX3-100 Connect makes sharing simple for guest presenters, who can easily connect and present without the need to download software or connect to the network.

The AirMedia portfolio is now available for pre-order.

Installation News

CJP Broadcast completes 4K-UHD virtual studio CJP Broadcast announces the completion of a new 4K-UHD virtual studio for the University of Sunderland. The system includes a Mo-Sys StarTracker Studio with a camera tracking unit, wireless-linked handheld StarTracker Viewfinder and Cartoni JibO lightweight jib.

CJP Broadcast has also provided and integrated Kinoflow Diva Lite 401 LED luminares and a Zero 88 FLX S24 lighting control desk, plus highgrade green-screen walls and flooring. The studio itself has a 6 x 6 metre floor area and is 4 metres high. Installed at the university’s David Puttnam Media Centre, the new resource gives students the opportunity to gain practical

er Studio is a complete virtual production resource built around the industry-standard StarTracker camera tracking system. StarTracker Studio is capable of far more than the virtual backgrounds traditionally associated with chroma key. As well as placing static or dynamic scenes on the studio walls, it can superimpose photo-realistic 3D objects in front of presenters, allowing any type of virtual production.

“CJP also recommended and integrated a versatile and energy-efficient lighting system for use with our new background cyclorama. The cyc is constructed with a wide-radius curve at the corners and where the green-screen surface

LED lights but also integrate the new VP technology in a very tight timescale. We realised we would need a lot of support to understand what this technology can do and integrate it into our teaching. Working with CJP gives us a single point of contact for support.

“We wanted to be able to offer something other universities currently can’t. The success of The Mandalorian television series, and the publicity about how it was created, opened our eyes to the process of live virtual production. Our hope was to replicate a similar type of setup which would position our university at the forefront of this new production method within the higher education sector. Our chroma

blends with the studio floor.

That means we can deploy cameras from a wide range of angles.

“From the initial conception of this project to the date it needed to be completed was around four months. Missing this deadline could have resulted in us losing the investment. It was essential that we work with one company that could not only refurb the studio with a new wall and

key and TV studios are relatively small and have little or no storage space for sets. With this new system we can create large sets at no cost and turn our studios into anything our students can think of. This investment will also help us forge new relationships with external companies, whether it be production companies, football clubs, the local council or whatever. The main aim is to give our students every advantage possible for when they

graduate, and help them gain employment in their chosen field.”

“StarTracker is an exceptionally stable tracking technology based on small reflective stars which are random- ly applied to the studio ceiling,” adds CJP Broadcast Project Manager Kieran Phillips. “The stars are hardly visible to the naked eye.

An LED emitter and sensor on the camera shines unobtrusive infra-red light on the stars, defining the star map which allows StarTracker to capture precise six-axis movement with lens focus and zoom data, all in real time. Once calibrated, the system is fully autonomous and starts tracking immediately on power-up. Because StarTracker is always referencing itself to its star map, its position is absolute and drift-free.

StarTracker Studio is a com-

1: Craig Moore (with StarTracker Viewfinder) and Kieran Phillips in the new virtual studio. ture approach enables new versions of VP Pro to be released the same day as Epic releases new versions of Unreal Engine, meaning users have immediate access to new Unreal features.

Also part of the installation, StarTracker Viewfinder is a wireless-linked handheld monitor that behaves like a virtual camera. It allows directors, video effects supervisors and cine-

2: Studio cyc and lighting. experience in latest-generation virtual studio production techniques.

“This investment opens up a whole new level of creative opportunities for students from across the faculty,” comments Professor Arabella Plouviez, Academic Dean of the Faculty of Arts & Creative Industries.

“The green hue of the new space can be digitally manipulated into any kind of environment – real or imagined – for film, TV, animation or photography. It will enable our students to really innovate with technology so new that the possibilities are still uncharted. This is an exciting new area for us to be leading in.”

“Chroma key has long been a core element of our training courses,” details the university’s Senior TV Technician Craig Moore. “It is a production technique which has become increasingly useful in recent years, allowing broadcasters to achieve realistic graphic effects efficiently, affordably and with precise control. High quality processing is important given the very large number of television viewers now watching on large display screens.

“We chose StarTracker Studio because it gives us an all-in-one virtual production solution catering for broadcast multi camera and film-style scenarios as well as being ready for LED volume filming.

Students today expect training in all those aspects. StarTrack-

3: StarTracker Studio main control rack.

5: Mo-Sys VP Pro Unreal Engine plug-in in action. plete three-camera 4K virtual studio system which can be expanded to source from up to eight cameras. Fully configured with pre-calibrated lenses, integral graphics processing and 4K recording, it transforms a compact studio space into a much larger virtual studio without need for physical set construction. The virtual production software used in StarTracker Studio is Mo-Sys’ VP Pro, which is embedded directly into the Unreal Engine’s editor interface. This architec4: StarTracker Viewfinder close-up.

Using StarTracker Studio, virtual sets can be switched almost instantly and augmented to include remote guests or superimposed objects. Photo-realistic graphic capabilities include occlusion handling which allows a presenter to walk in front of or behind a virtual object, and reflection mapping which intelligently adds reflections to adjacent virtual objects. Among additional features are soft shadow lighting effects and depth-of-field lens emulation.

matographers to frame a scene, create and practice camera moves without having to guess where the virtual objects are.

“This is the latest in a series of projects we have completed for the university sector,” summarises CJP Broadcast managing director Chris Phillips. “We are fully confident that the system we have built in partner- ship with Craig and his colleagues at the University of Sunderland will provide both the theoretical understanding and practical skills graduates need to succeed in the modern world of media creativity.”

P13 AV News September 2021

Installation News

disguise presents unforgettable basketball final With the Euroleague basketball finals set to be played on 28-30 May 2021 in an empty Lanxess Arena in Cologne,

the event and deliver a sense of excitement in the immediate build-up to the game.

The goal of the project was to

companies soon realised that, through disguise’s AR workflow, they would be able to create something technically ambi-

Having mapped and calibrated the venue and its seven LED screens thoroughly within the disguise software, the team

Lorenzo De Pascalis.

Though most media servers are only capable of running a single camera, the high speci-

show’s disguise programmer Nicholas di Fonzo, “but the difference is that they are not made to do live shows. disguise

Filmmaster Events reached out to creative studio Ombra to help create an explosive and unforgettable pre-game countdown. The team relied on the disguise Augmented Reality (AR) workflow powered by three gx 2c media servers to liven up

build an AR show that captured various elements of basketball and Euroleague culture represented in each stage or “number” of a ten-part countdown before the game. The original plan didn’t call for a lot of complex visuals, yet the two

tious and spectacular to watch.

Augmented reality graphics showing vibrant splashes of colour filled the unusually empty arena. Ombra, using the Notch real-time content engine, built ten distinct themes for the explosive game countdown.

were able to plan the show and pre-visualise every element along the way in four days. “I haven’t seen a show with such a big variety of assets that work so seamlessly for everyone,” says 3D Designer for the show,

fications of the disguise gx 2c servers made the team decide to run two cameras off each server - giving the production increased flexibility.

“There are other systems that can run AR content,” says the

was built for live shows and has long been used alongside Notch for visual graphics.”

As a result, programming the event came naturally. Using disguise’s Sockpuppet feature, di Fonzo was able to connect to a grandMA2 lighting desk and control all the show cues and video sequences from within the software. It was easy to make changes to workflows whenever necessary.

The Euroleague Final Four segment showcased how using AR content can turn an empty arena into, according to Filmmaster’s Creative Director, Adriano Martella, “a host of amazing, different, immersive ambiences as the shows unfolded, compensating the lack of a live audience with bold, surprising motion effects set to provoke emotions and to connect with the fans.” . disguise solutions also gave the team the flexibility and creative freedom to deliver their vision: “The flexibility of this mixed reality solution allowed us to adjust the scenes to the venue’s actual geometry and to the lighting features while working within the very limited rehearsal time that we had. At the same time it made it possible to adapt teams-specific content on the fly as each of the live semi-finals on the day determined the contestants for the Championship Game,” Martella adds.

P14 AV News September2021

Feature

Back to school Or the curse of the algorithm!

Despite recent issues surrounding exam results, why are educationalists unwilling to accept automated forms of assessment. Why is this? AV News looks at the increasing range of educational activities facilitated by the use of edtech and the implications for assessment.

Education and testing – the arguments continue to rage. Education Secretary Damian Hinds said recently: “Very few things matter as much as ensuring our children can read, write and add up. That is why all over the world, from France to Finland and America to Australia children’s learning is assessed.

From Berlin to Bordeaux, Boston to Brisbane, children sit assessment tests. 28 out of 35 countries in the OECD assess primary school pupils through national, standardised tests. In Australia, tests take place in years 3, 5, 7 and 9. In most US States, they take place annually.

There are very few things that are agreed the world over about education – the need to assess primary school attainment is one of them.”

“The tests themselves vary but the principle remains constant.

These tests do not exist to check up on our children. Our national curriculum tests (often called SATs) exist to check up on the system – and those who oversee it on your behalf. There are few duties on me that are more serious than ensuring that children are literate and numerate by the time they leave primary school. It is absolutely right that you should know whether we are succeeding in this duty or not.”

“This is why it worries me deeply when I hear calls for primary school tests to be scrapped.

Imagine if the government announced that it was going to ban dental checks or stop opticians checking our eyesight. People would be rightly horrified. Stopping testing means not checking whether something is ok or not.

In the world of primary school education, that means stopping checking whether our children can read, write and add up.”

“This doesn’t mean that we should accept exam stress at primary school. The truth is that in many schools, there isn’t any.

All over the world, schools guide children through tests without them feeling pressured. This is how it should be. For these tests are tests of our education system, not our children. They test whether we – the adults - are discharging our duty to the children of our country.”

The importance of assessment “Those of you younger than 35 know this through experience, for our primary schools have been carrying out national curriculum tests for almost 30 years now. I refuse to countenance returning to a world where Government had no effective

way of knowing how well our children were being taught, disproportionately to the detriment of those from the most disadvantaged backgrounds.”

“The importance of testing has been one of the main things Labour and Conservative governments have agreed on in education policy over the past quarter of a century.

This consensus has allowed us to measure progress in discharging our duty to our children. As a result we can tell which areas of the country and which schools need more support and which should share their expertise with the rest. It allows us all to see the improvement over the last few years in children’s reading as well as the declining gap between disadvantaged students and their better off peers. Turning our back on testing would put this progress, and children’s future, at risk.”

Policy makers There is a consensus among policy makers that assessment is a good thing – but that view is not universal.

There is a body of opinion from students, teachers and administrators that points out the negative effects of over-testing. “Careless implementation of assessments may have negative consequences, especially when the needs of special education students are not considered.

Using only a written formal assessment does not provide an overall picture of student achievement. Students that perform better with oral and visual skills or who display superior creativity are at a disadvantage.”

“The process of education is a cycle between teacher and student that is continually moving. The education process focuses on planning, delivery and assessment, and both teacher and student are continually assessing whether or not the content and delivery was successful. For the teacher, it is important to determine if the students received the information, retained it and were able to process it. For students, the process often involves making the determination as to whether or not the content was effectively presented and whether or not the information was retained. This determination is typically made through an assessment.

In the post pandemic work

P16 AV News September2021

schools are being tasked to “do more with less,” which is often code for utilising digital technologies to curb “inefficiencies” and to “scale” services.

The application of the language and practices of scientific management to education isn’t new.”

Digital opportunities The digitisation of education was given new emphasis by the pandemic and further encouraged automation of the assessment process – but the use of such tools was not without its problems. In March UK authorities cancelled the traditional exams that students usually take at the end of primary and secondary school. These exams are critical in determining which secondary school or university students will attend. In fact, most students had offers from secondary schools and universities that were conditional upon them achieving a certain result in the exams so a new system had to be devised to grades hundreds of thousands of students.

The system devised required schools to give each student (1) a predicted grade (referred to as “centre-assessed grades”, or “CAGs”) and (2) a rank from best to worst (in their subject).

That information was then sent to the government regulator (“Ofqual”) for a process of “moderation”. Ofqual had been tasked by the UK government to develop, in its words, “a system for awarding calculated grades, which maintained standards and ensured that grades were awarded broadly in line with previous years.”

Ofqual developed an algorithm to process all CAGs and school rankings. The algorithm compared CAGs with the performance of students at each school over the past three years.

The algorithm then “moderated” (i.e., lowered, maintained or increased) each CAG to for consistency between individual students’ CAGs and historical results at their schools, which then resulted in the grade awarded to the student.

To a statistician perhaps this makes sense, but unfortunately some 40% of students had their grades lowered as compared with their CAGs. This led to nationwide complaints, largely because the methodology appeared to have exacerbated social inequality by generally favouring students at private schools at the expense of their state schools.

The result was large numbers

of high-achieving students being marked down by the algorithm, which had capped their schools’ previous high scores, and preventing them from meeting conditional offers from prestigious universities. Eventually, the government conceded and amended the algorithm such that students could rely on either their CAGs or their moderated grades, whichever was higher.

Moving on With a greater reliance on digital technologies for teaching and lesson preparation, further ingress of automated assessment is inevitable in the

future. There is also no doubt that expanding the range of educational activities to take advantage of digital resources and activities is a genuinely exciting possibility – the challenge is to get the methods of assessment both reliable and acceptable to all stakeholders in education.

The failure of the UK government to anticipate the problems that its school algorithm would face resulted in enormous stress for hundreds of thousands of families, teachers, education administrators and politicians. It led to precisely the situation the algorithm was initially designed to prevent: significant grade in-

flation, with 38% of students taking English A-levels being awarded the top A or A* grades, compared to 25% last year, with adverse knock-on effects on universities as well as future school graduates.

Government actions have also undermined tolerance of algorithms more generally. The national press reported a trend of UK public bodies abandoning recently introduced algorithmic systems for visa applications, benefit claims and other social welfare issues. Let’s hope that a more ground-up approach by those with direct edtech experience will prevail.

Case Study A pedagogical philosophy of passion and positivity Truly believing that all students deserve the very best start in life, Spire Junior School in Derbyshire has an ethos that is centred around improving student outcomes and transforming learning opportunities. Prioritising student wellbeing and encouraging class-wide participation through interactive technology, Assistant Head and Year 6 Teacher, Alex Bramley, talks us through the importance of positivity and innovation in the classroom...

Being one of the lucky winners to receive an ActivPanel in Promethean’s nationwide competition, Classroom Stories, Alex’s innovative streak hasn’t stopped there... With an authentic outcomes driven curriculum, Spire Junior School challenges its students to work creatively, whilst deepening knowledge and understanding through engaging and enriching experiences.

All students are encouraged to work towards an end-goal and are immersed in exciting proj-

Feature

er and school-assemblies that helped to boost morale, the school encouraged conversation, involvement and visibility between students and teachers. Coming up with Through the Keyhole style tours of classrooms and getting teachers to take part in Bushtucker Trials, students and teachers were made to feel involved in school-wide activities despite the physical distance between them.

Technology

ects that have been designed to expand their horizons and as a result, the teachers use the tools and equipment at their disposal to make learning as interesting and engaging as possible.

“As a teacher, I truly believe that positivity and fun should be a fundamental part of each curriculum lesson. The teacher plays a pivotal role, not only in student understanding, but also in the way a student feels about their learning and how they engage with it, because of this I always try to make learning interesting and engaging.

Students learn best when they

livering engaging and dynamic lessons. “At Spire Junior School, we are always learning and adapting our teaching methods to provide the best classroom experiences for our students. Communicating with our colleagues on social media, we are continually sharing and receiving best practice advice on technology use in lessons to fuel discussion and interactivity,” continued Alex.

Designed specifically for education, the Promethean ActivPanel has proven instrumental in supporting Alex to transform his classroom environment into a connected hub of interactivi-

complete tasks, such as long division, faster than the other.

This competitiveness encourages the students to work together and the ActivPanel perfectly facilitates this. They also sometimes compete with me and we record the results for social media to share with other educators, I’m not ashamed to admit that they often beat me,” commented Alex.

Innovation Playing a significant role in the learning space over the last year, technology was instrumental at Spire Junior School

With technology at the heart of his traditional classroom activities, Alex also ensured he kept up the interaction level when students were learning away from the classroom. “Although unable to use my ActivPanel to the level we were used to, the ActivPanel and accompanying technology formed an integral part of our distance learning strategy. If I was in the classroom, I would record myself on my phone delivering a lesson using the technology. If I was at home, I was able to use Promethean’s lesson delivery software, ActivInspire to deliver lessons digitally. Using my prepared lesson content, I saved valuable time in the hybrid process and as a result, students were presented with tools they recognised.

“The platform also has a screen recording functionality, which established the grounds of my teaching methods. Using ActivInspire Screen Recorder, I was able to record my screen and talk students through the key learning points of the lesson as I would usually do in the classroom,” continued Alex.

Engagement has naturally been an issue for students when learning away from the classroom, but Spire Junior School has continued to innovate and inspire students wherever they are. Spending a lot of time on digital devices, whether that be for educational or enjoyment purposes, Spire Junior School

encouraged distance between screens and promoted daily exercise using educational driven tasks. Such tasks included Alex’s own innovative idea, ‘Lamppost Orienteering’, that took students out in the fresh air to fulfil curriculum requirements such as number recognition, problem solving, maths, map reading skills and coding.

Lamppost orienteering “‘Lamppost Orienteering’ was created by taking a screengrab of a map, which detailed the local area around the school.

I then walked the area and selected a series of lampposts and their corresponding numbers to use, before lacing dots on the map and recording the codes for the answer sheet. These were then shared with the students to go and find the correct answers and codes. This not only helped students to bolster their coding and number skills, but also gave them a new and

interesting task to participate in whilst also getting outside in the fresh air.

“Innovation and creating interesting tasks is a fundamental part of my job as a teacher. With students back in the classroom full time, I am looking forward to embracing technology even further and continuing to drive engagement through positive attitudes and exciting lesson delivery,” concluded Alex. Forming the backbone of its pedagogical philosophy, technology and positivity are transforming the learning environment for both teachers and students. Using tools that have been designed for the learning space, coupled with a determination to enhance student outcomes, Spire Junior School’s support of its teachers to inspire new and innovative learning experiences has revolutionised lesson delivery and use of technology within the classroom.

Edtech and formative assessment

have memorable experiences, fun whilst learning or enjoy taking part in tasks. This method of stimulating curiosity is a core part of my teaching philosophy,” Alex explained.

Inspiration At Spire Junior School, teachers are supported and inspired to use their intuition, take risks and create innovative experiences. Using classroom technology and having a sense of freedom, teachers are motivated to find new ways of de-

ty. The functionality of the ActivPanel has enabled teachers at the school to embed further technological experiences into the classroom in a streamlined and effective way. Allowing students to interact with their learning, the ActivPanel has enabled Alex to introduce fun and interesting ways to learn different topics and inspire peer-to-peer collaboration and understanding.

“We regularly initiate split screen challenges in which we’ll have two groups of students who will form a team to

P18 AV News September 2021

to support students when adjusting to learning from home, maintaining communication between teachers and encouraging wellbeing breaks. With vibrant classrooms that are environments that bolster student participation and the discussion of ideas, the absence of this social element posed a risk to student wellbeing.

To navigate these challenges, Spire Junior School made it its mission to support regular communication between students.

Organising Zoom meetings for students to chat to each oth-

Prometheans has published 10 ideas for making lessons more interesting, engaging and fun through formative assessment, while also giving pupils valuable feedback.

Formative assessment is integral to effective teaching.

It helps teachers to cater to different learners within a mixed-ability class, while also allowing pupils to understand their academic strengths and weaknesses.

Because formative assessment is an essential part of the learning process, it’s vital that teachers have everything they need to make learning interesting, engaging, fun and successful.

1. Polling tools By asking questions and developing lines of enquiry that combine prior knowledge and real-world observations, you can add a new level of interaction

to lessons. So, instant polling can be used to help keep lessons interesting. What’s more, by immediately identifying and addressing any gaps in knowledge – both at an individual and class level – you can tailor your lessons to the real needs of each pupil, providing the stimulus needed to help keep students engaged.

• ActivInspire with ClassFlow.

Facilitating active participation by pupils and instant assessment by teachers, and optimised for use with the ActivPanel, ClassFlow allows you to collate whole class responses to questions, at the moment of learning, in real time. Students can also draw on the screen using their devices and move things around which makes it so much more interactive than just choosing a, b, c, or d.

• Mentimeter. An interactive

presentation tool, Mentimeter lets you poll your students and check their level of understanding. There are many different types of questions you can create including image-based, multiple choice, scales, open-ended, questions from the audience and more.

You can even generate word clouds out of your student’s responses.

• Poll Everywhere. Helping you to engage your class in real time, Poll Everywhere is a live audience polling tool. You can ask questions during your lessons, and see live data and reports with responses appearing in animated graphs/charts.

• SurveyPlanet. SurveyPlanet’s simple but powerful survey tools allow educators to build and share online surveys quickly and easily.

2. Collaboration tools

Feature

Helping to develop critical thinking and 21st-century skills, collaborative assessment is an essential part of learning today. Not to mention a powerful engagement avenue for students.

• Quizlet. Quizlet is helping teachers to improve their school’s results by introducing flashcards, games and more into the classroom. With Quizlet for teachers, you’ll also find fun yet challenging revision resources to suit students of all levels.

• Spiral. Spiral helps educators to transform any classroom into an interactive learning space.

Students teams can create and share collaborative presentations from linked devices, while you can carry out quick-fire formative assessments to see what the whole class is thinking.

• ActivCast. Using ActivCast with the Activpanel students or teachers can easily connect their device and share their screen with the wider class, making it quick and simple to collaborate as a group.

3. In-class activities For quick formative assessment during lessons, you want activities that are simple to create and efficient to deploy.

• One-minute papers. Students can create one-minute papers on a specific subject matter in response to a teacher-posed question. For example, you could ask your students “what was the most important concept you learned in class today?”

• ActivInspire. When educators combine the ActivInspire collaborative lesson delivery software with an ActivPanel, they get access to a vast suite of tools that enable them to create and deliver more dynamic lessons. And, over the last decade educators have helped to shape millions of ActivInspire lessons and activities. As such, you benefit from something that has been formed by educators, for educators.

• Activpanel. With ‘Activities’, students complete tasks based on the lesson subject matter, and the software tracks correct/ incorrect answers, as well as the time the activity has taken.

Activities on the ActivPanel is also great for consolidating, reinforcing and extending pupils’ learning.

4. Online portfolios Digital portfolios provide a dynamic way for students to work. The online equivalent of an old-fashioned mood board, these portfolios can also be used to present work for formative assessment. Creative pupils particularly love this style of evaluation as it allows them to demonstrate their aesthetic skills • Padlet. Padlet allows teachers and their students to make beautiful boards, documents, and webpages. Easy to use and fun to contribute to, you can include a huge range of information including photos,

documents, web links, video, and music to make the text come alive.

• Pinterest. Pinterest is an information sharing website and app that lets people ‘pin’ content and build and maintain ‘boards’.

• Seesaw. Seesaw is another digital portfolio and communication tool. It allows pupils to express themselves, reflect on their learning and create a collection they are proud to show to others. Parents and guardians can view their children’s work and leave comments.

5. Video assessments One formative assessment medium that has become particularly popular with teachers and students is video.

As well as making video lessons, you can also get students to make their own content. To do this you should introduce pupils to a concept, and present them with some guidelines. Students are them instructed to research the topic more deeply before creating a video to show to their classmates. An open discussion follows each video with the student asked to discuss the process they went through to create the video and defend their perspective. This encourages learners to examine their own thought processes.

• Edpuzzle. With Edpuzzle, teachers can turn videos into lessons. It’s easy to add your voice narration and questions.

You can use videos from platforms such as YouTube, or record and upload your own.

You can also insert a quiz anywhere and track student progress.

• Flipgrid. With Flipgrid, students record short videos and reply to each other’s videos.

Educators are 100% in control with video moderation, access controls.

6. Live learning games Keeping students engaged is a common challenge in every classroom. Live gaming tools help to keep your students focused and motivated.

• Gimkit. Gimkit is a game show for the classroom that requires knowledge, collaboration, and strategy to win. Students answer questions on their own devices and at their own pace. And each student gets exposure to the

questions multiple times to ensure mastery.

• Kahoot! Kahoot! makes it easy to create, share and play fun learning games or trivia quizzes in minutes. The Kahoot! website also includes practical tips and inspiring classroom stories.

• Prodigy. Branded as “The most engaging math platform in the world”, Prodigy has content from all major topics, with a diagnostic test to place students in the correct grade, embedded assessments, and automatic differentiation.

7. Interactive lessons Interactive lessons using frontof-class displays, like the Promethean ActivPanel, provide a seamless and efficient tool for teachers to formatively assess their pupils. You can make use of your preferred assessment or apps directly from the panel.

Through this connected technology, you can also access pupil work, and make faster adjustments to your teaching methods where necessary.

• InsertLearning. InsertLearning is a Chrome extension that lets you turn any webpage into an interactive lesson. You can highlight text, add sticky notes, insert questions and videos, or even a discussion.

• Nearpod. Nearpod lets you create engaging lessons with informative and interactive assessment activities.

• Pear Deck. Founded by educators, Pear Deck provides solutions rooted in active learning and formative assessment. It makes it easy for you to connect with learners of every age and ability.

8. Visualisation Teachers can ask students to create a visualisation of what

they learnt. For example, you can ask each student to create an illustration or doodle to demonstrate learning.

• Google Charts. With a rich gallery of interactive charts and data tools, Google Charts is powerful and straightforward to use.

• Pixon. With Pixon, students can create comics about anyone or anything with no drawing or art skills required.

9. Comparative assessments Comparative assessment allows pupils to weigh up the pros and cons of various options. And, according to Robert J Marzano’s 2007 book The Art and Science of Teaching, studies show that asking students to identify similarities and differences through comparative analysis leads to significant gains in student achievement.

Not least because, by focusing student thinking on contrasting ideas, this approach strengthens their ability to remember important content.

• Thumbs up/down. Students use their thumbs like at the end of a Roman Coliseum show.

• Venn diagrams. You can ask students to compare and contrast a topic using a Venn diagram.

• Diffen. Diffen is the website that lets you compare anything.

You can access ready-made options or try creating some lists of your own.

10. Exit tickets Teachers can use lesson exit tickets to show them what students are thinking and what they have learned at the end of each lesson. These quick, informal assessments enable you to quickly assess student understanding of the material.

Unlike polling, which is used for opinion-based feedback, assessments are a hands-on way of ascertaining whether pupils have grasped a subject matter.

• ActivInspire. Within the ActivInspire assessment feature, you can use different testing formats, easily adapted for different subjects. Questions can be randomised, students can easily navigate or skip, and you can set a time limit, if applicable. Thanks to the specific properties, delivery options and question choices, ActivPanel assessments can be designed to collect more than just correct or incorrect responses. Feedback can be set per answer or per right / wrong response, depending on the question type.

• Plickers. Plickers lets you collect on-the-spot formative assessment data without students having to use devices, paper or pencils. Instead, you create and print specially coded cards that students hold up in class as their responses. You then use the Plickers app to scan the cards and collect the data.

• Socrative. Socrative is a classroom app for fun, effective engagement and on-the-fly assessments. You can design and save assessments specifically for your students.

The Visual Learning Lab! During the summer period something has been quietly stirring within the City of Glasgow College’s (COGC) impressive building. Where once was a simple space with tables and chairs in the main library, now sits the first incarnation of the Visual Learning Lab (VLL); cutting-edge educational technology aligned with COGC’s aspirational aims to create a hybrid teaching space that simultaneously provides an equity of learning to both in-room and students connecting remotely.

Tom Duff, Associate Director of the Learning & Teaching Academy at COGC: “The Intel VLL is a major breakthrough in hybrid learning. It is the future of learning - freeing it from a fixed period, time and audience to anyone, anywhere, anytime access.”.

Partnerships The Visual Learning Lab brings together technology and ideas from several partners including ViewSonic, Kramer, AVer, TopTec, IAConnects, SensingFeeling and LearnFromAnywhere – multiple interactive screens uniquely connected into a single canvas, with wireless presentation and sharing, coupled with cameras and microphones, environmental monitoring, and a height adjustable mobile mount – the ingredients for an ideal learning space.

In a way the VLL is not a fixed product but more of a journey, both in technology usage and in the way the partners are working together. ViewSonic’s Senior Director EdTech Peter Claxton explained: “This is an example of why collaboration between EdTech Companies and Colleges is critical to driving the future vision of Education”. Working closely with Tom and the team at COGC, the VLL concept has been defined, refined and the first iteration is ready for the start of this new term.

Innovations Some of the technology being used is in its infancy in the UK (albeit more mature in other GEOs) and its value in hybrid learning spaces is still being understood, in particular the use of computer vision. SensingFeeling’s Ajay Kurien - “Our technology helps instructors and learners at City of Glasgow College make the most of their experience of the Visual Learning Lab. Sensing attention helps instructors maintain energy and grow engagement during lessons, and measuring collaboration benefits the entire higher education experience.”

Data is another important and so far, poorly understood aspect of hybrid learning spaces. Much of the technology installed can generate data: student engagement, sentiment, gaze from SensingFeeling, room environmental conditions from IAConnects, usage statistics from Kramer and ViewSonic. The plan is to start collating this data in a single cloud-based dashboard and then begin to analyse it; maybe the data will give us some new insights into the VLL and help guide future updates to improve the learning and teaching experience.

Our journey with COGC continues. With a mixture of students back on campus in September and others based remotely, the VLL will be put through its paces by the staff and students. With regular feedback sessions with the staff, students and partners the VLL concept will be refined over the next 12 months, hopefully resulting in a complete solution for hybrid learning. A final word from LearnFromAnywhere’s Duncan Peberdy: “The commitment of Kramer, ViewSonic, Top-Tec, and AVer to collaborate on new technology configurations to develop the best possible outcomes for the City of Glasgow College has been a real pleasure to be a part of.”

For more information about the VLL check out the links below and watch out for updates on our journey in future issues of AVNews. https://www.intel.co.uk/content/www/uk/en/education/resources/visual-learning-lab-video.html https://learnfromanywhere.co.uk/visuallearninglab.htm

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P19 AV News September 2021

AV News Awards is back LIVE and IN PERSON! NEW Location, NEW Categories and (most important) NEW Food!

AV News 2022 Awards Ceremony will be hosted at ISE Barcelona De Fira 2022 in association with ISE 2022. The Awards Ceremony is on the opening morning of ISE (1st February 2022). The Awards Breakfast will start at 8.20 am (to those who have booths and places to be by 10.00), when the show opens) and we will be finished by 9.50 am).

If this is your first time submitting a nomination, please take a moment to read: ‘How to submit a successful nomination’ below.

Nomination Procedures By far the best way to submit nominations for the AV News Awards is to use the form available from the AV News web site www.avnewsonline.com . This will ensure that you supply all the necessary information and provides an upload facility for additional materials that support your nomination.

How to submit a successful nomination: 1.

Each form represents a single nomination in a single category. (Please note, if you would like to enter multiple nominees or multiple categories you will need to enter a form for each nominee in each category. It has to be this way because the entries in the different categories and referred to different judging panels.

2.

Please complete all the required fields.

3.

When answering questions requiring further details, remember the more information... the better.

4.

Supporting material can include case studies, press releases and testimonials.

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If you are entering on behalf of a client, please ask for permission from appropriate authority before entering.

Personal award nominations: Nominations in the Personal Award Categories (Technologist of the Year, Sales Professional of the Year, Support Professional of the Year, Marketing Professional of the Year and Outstanding Achievement in AV) are FREE TO ENTER. Technology, Project and Organisation award nominations: Technology, Project and Organisation Categories are subject to an Administration Fee of £120 plus VAT per nomination. Please do not send payment with this form, we will arrange an invoice.

Application News

Six60 on tour at last After more than a year of lockdown, the wait was finally over when the multi-platinum selling band, Six60, embarked on a massive tour across New Zealand. The Six60 ‘Saturdays’ tour culminated with a historic ‘first’ when they became the first ever band to play at the iconic Eden Park stadium in Auckland, with over 50,000 fans gathering to see the live show and sing their favourite lyrics together. Video production and equipment supplier, Big Picture, provided a complete video system package both for the tour and the inaugural concert at Eden Park, which included Brompton Technology’s Tessera LED processing.

“Coming out of a year of Covid restrictions, we were excited to be given an opportunity to put together a video system package for the upcoming Six60 Saturdays tour,” says Paul Carppe, General Manager – NZ at Big Picture. “We have a close working relationship with Eccles Entertainment (promot-

of the tour, which was further complicated by the need to ship extra LED product from Big Picture Australia. “The short lead time could have been a problem, but we were able to mitigate most of the potential issues thanks to the ease of use of Brompton’s processing and Tessera software features,” adds Carppe.

The massive screen was wider

software enabled them to map the door shape into the wall with ease.

With the tour on the road for six weeks, using bulletproof, high-quality equipment was key. “Our previous experience with Brompton made it our top choice,” explains Carppe.

“Having a screen so big meant that Tessera’s ‘Identify’ test pattern, also called beacon,

Joe & The Juice updates 30 UK stores

Pioneer Group were selected

by Joe & The Juice UK to work with their appointed retail design agency to upgrade all UK sites (30 in total) to Digital Menu Boards. Joe & The Juice, a food and beverage retailer renowned for their coffee and smoothies, were using static menu lightboxes.

The management decided to

surveys at all sites to determine the size of screen required, mounting options, cable routes, power, data and access requirements. With multiple trades involved, careful planning was required to ensure works could be completed in a single visit.

Due to the type of work required, installations were planned out of hours to cause

dover documentation to ensure consistency between installation teams.

The solution The primary digital menu board solution consisted of the B-Tech System X mounting rail and five Samsung QM55R displa§1ys per store. Displays

Two months after the 2021 Six60 Saturdays country-wide tour, 50,000 fans flocked to Auckland stadium at Eden Park to see the beloved Kiwi band christening the stage for the stadium’s musical debut, setting records as the biggest homegrown production for many years.

Pioneer Group were selected by Joe & The Juice UK to work with their appointed retail design agency to upgrade all UK sites (30 in total) to Digital Menu Boards.

Choosing the right products definitely paid off, with tour’s technical director, MJ van Lingen, happy with Big Picture’s video system. “As Technical Director of the Tour, I am pleased with its success and how the video wall contributed to the look and feel of the show. The colour and depth of the content on the screen was spot on,” van Lingen said.

The Six60 ‘Saturdays’ tour culminated with a historic ‘first’ when they became the first ever band to play at the iconic Eden Park stadium in Auckland, with over 50,000 fans gathering to see the live show and sing their favourite lyrics together. er), Ben Dalgleish from Human Person (show design) and Global Production Partners (production management) so we were able to meet their vision and offer them a package that fitted the technical brief.”

The package included 215m2 of ROE MC7 in TAIT Touring frames, Brompton 4K Tessera SX40 LED processing with Tessera XD 10G data distribution units, a Sony HD PPU Camera system and disguise servers to run the content. Because of the Christmas and New Year holiday period, the team had a relatively short lead time between final confirmation and the start

than the stage roof and just as tall, so building quickly but safely was of high priority to ensure all other departments could complete their jobs on time. “Utilising the Tessera XD units enabled us to easily distribute data across the 27.6m wide screen with a simple fibre link back to the SX40 units at control,” furthers Carppe.

Another challenge was the removable door element for stage/artist access, which had to move in and out during changeovers whilst fitting seamlessly into the wall during performances. According to Carppe, Brompton’s Tessera

P22 AV News September 2021

allowed us to easily identify problem panels so they could be fixed or replaced quickly and efficiently. Also, the ability to globally colour balance and match the wall across multiple processors made life easy.

In terms of the system build, it was useful to have the Tessera processors in video world and then feed out to the two XD units that were behind the screen.”

upgrade all of these to digital screens. The current solution was out of date and did not offer the chain the dynamic solution they needed to keep menus updated and drive sales of key items. Joe and The Juice's team were looking for a one-stop shop to provide a complete turnkey solution.

The brief included power, data, decoration, and AV installation and commissioning services.

Pioneer combined all these services through its three main divisions AV, IT Infrastructure & Electrical, making us an ideal partner.

The approach Pioneer initially carried out site

minimal disruption to the stores, and all works were completed overnight in just one visit. We meticulously coordinated all trades through the night for smooth delivery, ready for store opening the following day. Works were scheduled over a six-week programme.

Pioneer pre-staged, quality checked and commissioned all hardware in their dedicated staging workshop before installation to negate any potential issues onsite. Systems were packaged store by store and sent to the site.

Weekly project meetings ensured the project ran smoothly to schedule and within budget. In addition, we carried out workshops and provided han-

were mounted in portrait orientation, and content is run via the system on chip (SoC) on the QM-R series displays.

The content was provided and will be managed by Joe & The Juice HQ team.

Sakari Kingelin, Head of UK Supply Chain, Joe in the Juice UK commented: “We have carried out several installations with Pioneer Group since launching the brand in the UK. Their ability to cater for all the AV, IT and Electrical works make them an obvious choice for us as a company.

We have one point of contact, and it means that the work can be carried out quickly without hiccups, allowing us to keep our stores open.”

LG provides LED screens to Wembley One of the first things that visitors to Wembley Stadium will see this year are the enormous bespoke LED screens created

by LG Electronics (LG) as part of the remodelling of the iconic stadium’s entrance that has seen the old concrete pedestrian flyovers replaced by a new set of Olympic Steps.

A joint project, developed in partnership with stadium owner the Football Association, Brent Council, and surrounding land-

owner and developer Quintain, the most eye-catching aspects of the new design are the giant LED screens that dominate the entrance. Composed of one enormous 460sqm screen mounted on the inside of the Great Hall facing outwards, dubbed the Large External Screen or ‘LES’, and flanked by two 230sqm displays, nicknamed the ‘Ears’, the screens are the most visible part of an

enormous project undertaken

by FA partner LG that will also see the venue’s 1200 plasma screens all updated to modern LED displays over the coming months.

The 56m by 7.5m LES can be seen as soon as visitors turn onto Olympic Way and is the first large-scale deployment of

Continued om page 23

Application News LG provides LED screens to Wembley a newly developed LG technology, LED Mesh, that allows LED displays to be unobtrusively mounted across windows without dramatically affecting the light levels inside a building.

All the electronics required for operation are discreetly mounted at the side of the window, in the case of the LES in 192 daisy-chained LED cabinets, while groups of offset LEDs

Rated at 6,000nits, the screens run at 40% brightness during the day and are automatically switched down to 4% for dusk and beyond operation to avoid disturbing the increasing number of local residents living around the stadium.

“Taking the LED Mesh concept from prototype to real-world installation in a few months was a huge challenge for the team,

poses. These include the 32 x 2 metre letterbox at the top of the Olympic Steps, which is based on LG’s GSCA series; two 10sqm LBE series screens by the outdoor lift shaft; two 8sqm GSCD screens on the walkway gantry, and two 5sqm GSCD screens on the parapets either side of the new stairs. An 8.5 x 2.1m LAS fine-pitch screen provides high-resolution imag-

One of the first things that visitors to Wembley Stadium will see in 2021 are the enormous bespoke LED screens created by LG Electronics (LG) as part of the remodelling of the iconic stadium’s entrance. representing individual pixels are mounted on thin aluminium bars that stretch horizontally from side to side.

While other screens in the stadium are designed to showcase crisp, high-resolution 4K images, the viewing distance of the LES is between approximately 30 to 100 metres, meaning that a comparatively low resolution of 1432x120 can be used. Together with the ‘Ears’, the three screens are mapped onto a 3840 x 2160 4K video space so they can be driven by the stadium’s existing media server.

but one which proves the innovation we bring to LED displays of all sizes,” comments Nigel Roberts UK Sales Director, LG. “Giant screens like this are normally installed on the outside of buildings, so to install one internally but facing out while also keeping the window usage intact is a tremendous feat of engineering and ingenuity.”

Working closely with system integrator SSUK LTD, as part of the overall upgrade LG has also installed several other high-profile LED screens around the stadium for crowd messaging and wayfinding pur-

es at a 1.8mm pixel pitch for the VIP and Royal Box area.

Liam Boylan, Wembley Stadium Director said: “We are delighted with our new external screens and the wider stadium upgrades we have worked on with LG in recent months.

Wembley is an iconic venue, but we recognise the need to constantly innovate to ensure the best possible fan experience. The new screens installed across our footprint will serve to improve our operation and we look forward to fans being able to enjoy them at an event soon.”

PPDS is has announced its exclusive range of Philips interactive digital signage and videowall solutions have been selected and installed inside leading Dutch wholesaler, Technische Unie’s, brand new, state-of-the-art, 450sqm Inspiration Centre. Based in Eindhoven, Technische Unie, has been a driving force in the progression of businesses across every industry since 1880. Working with more than 700 suppliers worldwide, stocking an impressive 280,000 items, this Dutch giant offers a wide range of technical installation materials for housing, utility, industry, government, healthcare, and retail.

A key pillar to its business strategy focuses heavily on sustainability, not just in its own business, but for the industries and partners it serves, 24/7, 365 days a year. In order to be and remain competitive, more and more industrial companies are switching to smart

techniques and smart factories, and Technische Unie wanted to create a venue equipped to educate and inspire its industry partners on ways to run their businesses smarter, while also providing a space for customers to learn about and more easily discover the latest offers from the hundreds of available suppliers.

To achieve its vision and ambitions, Technische Unie partnered with nearby integration specialist, Hugo Janzen AV Projecten B.V, and PPDS, for a complete AV solution, with 46 connected Philips Q-Line UHD displays (ranging between 43”-65”) installed to bring the futuristic venue to life. This includes a spectacular vertically mounted, multi-screen display, designed to greet visitors as they enter a space that will also be used for events and training.

To maintain the desired, fully immersive visual experience, custom brackets connecting each display together were used for a harmonious finish. Exam-

ples of products, services and solutions offered by Technische Unie and its partners are positioned throughout the Inspiration Centre, including within dedicated exhibition bays and experience booths, mocked up to mirror real life scenarios and environments. Philips displays are strategically mounted to the walls, providing comprehensive product details and interactive imagery at every turn, ensuring visitors remain informed at all times for more detailed and knowledge-based decision making.

Video content is controlled and managed through an intuitive PIXILAB BLOCKS system, which enables staff to make quick and easy updates in full HD or 4K using tablets connected to the network. With Philips Q-Line’s FailOver technology, screens in the Inspiration Centre will always remain alive and active, never blank, switching automatically between primary and secondary inputs, ensuring that content

World class studios at the Royal College of Music The Royal College of Music (RCM) in South Kensington is home to a hidden gem: world class studio facilities, available for private hire right in the heart of London. Famed as a world-leading institution, the RCM provides a wide range of professional-quality services and facilities, including music recording, video production, web streaming, audio-visual re-

jor broadcasters, record companies and leading international soloists.

The in-house studio team at the RCM offers a range of professional services from amplification for announcements and speeches, through to full music reinforcement for a band, jazz group or orchestra. The college also employs recording engineers, who manage the

The Royal College of Music (RCM) in South Kensington is home to a hidden gem: world class studio facilities, available for private hire right in the heart of London. search and development. studios with the support of DigThe original studio was found- ital Production Coordinators, ed in 1967 and was the first videographers and a team of electronic studio at any UK freelance specialists where reacademic institution. Today, the studio complex is housed directly underneath the RCM Concert Hall. The Belle Shenkman Studio, a spacious live room, contains its own Steinway Model D grand piano, three control rooms linked to performance spaces around the campus, and three rooms dedicated to composition, production and editing. In addition to the core work within the College, RCM Studios offers a commercial service to clients including ma-

quired. Through RCM Studios, clients will also have access to a professional broadcast-quality service for recording, filming or live streaming via YouTube or other platforms.

Sam Glenister-Batey, Head of Events and Venue Hire at the Royal College of Music, says: “Our studio complex is truly a one-off location for musical endeavours, broadcasters and event organisers. RCM Studios are always in high demand from commercial clients, and we expect to see a significant increase in demand from corporate clients as hybrid events come to the fore.”

“As a charity and place of education, all private hire of our studios helps to support the development of the next generation of talented musicians, as well as maintaining and developing the facilities. It is our ambition at RCM that no student should be denied an RCM education due to lack of funds, so part of the money raised through venue hire goes to support the RCM Scholarship Fund.”

Technische Unie picks PPDS for its Inspiration Centre keeps playing even if the primary source goes down.

Hugo Janzen, Owner of Hugo Janzen AV Projects, commented: “The Philips Q-Lines helped us to successfully integrate video displays in a high-level presentation envi-

ronment.” Roeland Scholten, Sales Director for Benelux at PPDS, added: “We are delighted to have played such an integral role in bringing this hugely important and inspiring space to life. From the moment they walk in, visitors are immersed

into a visually spectacular scene of activity, with each display providing not only a wow factor, but a valuable resource for information – whether that’s finding new products, ways to work smarter or to play a part in looking after our planet.”

Based in Eindhoven, Technische Unie, has been a driving force in the progression of businesses across every industry since 1880. Working with more than 700 suppliers worldwide, stocking an impressive 280,000 items, this Dutch giant offers a wide range of technical installation materials.

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P23 AV News September 2021

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Opinion

The importance of inclusive video conferencing It’s no secret that the use of web and desktop client-based video conferencing and Unified Communications technology has increased rapidly during lockdown.

The pandemic has forced businesses to switch from face-toface meetings in the office to remote meetings using technology like Microsoft Teams. Although this is now common practice in the UK, and to some extent the world, Justina Lloyd, Head of People, at Resonate. believes that businesses must take action to avoid overlooking the need to also be inclusive while implementing this new way of working.

Why do I need to be inclusive?

One of the more interesting insights to have come out of this change in working behaviour is reports of how tiresome many people find their day communicating via video. While there are a number of reasons for this, it may also be highlighting deficiencies in our cognitive processing or revealing neurodiverse conditions such as ADHD or autism.

Aside from the obvious differ-

communication over video for all of their employees, including those that are neurodiverse, starting with the 8 simple steps below.

•Find a quiet and comfortable meeting place Finding a good space in the home for video conferencing may prove challenging, especially if the whole family needs to join their own online meetings or lessons at the same time. But, if you can, try to find a comfortable spot that provides as much quiet and priva-

•Try to avoid using mobile The stability and reliability of a good quality desktop and webcam will usually work best for your video meeting. Microsoft found that interviewees in a recent study reported that “they did not like the video streaming experience on mobile devices because their conversation partner would move around” and this can be very distracting.

•Use video, when possible UC solutions allow audio only communication, but we rec-

Justina Lloyd, Head of People, at Resonate.

ommend using video where you ences between face-to-face cy as possible. and online meetings, the for- •Respect ‘presence’ when re- can, especially if other people mer also allows a rich cognitive questing an unscheduled meet- dial in with their video switched on as this is a strong cue that experience with a large number ing of non-verbal cues being pro- Always try to respect presence they want to see you too. cessed. With the latter, these if you want to have an unsched- •Maintain strong meeting eticues can either be difficult to uled meeting with someone. quette process or lost altogether, often Most UC solutions should offer Meeting etiquette is very imdepending on the quality of the presence capability, so you can portant for smooth online Meeting etiquette is very important for smooth online meetings. Hosts need to make sure everyone gets a chance to speak and contribute via a Q&A. video link.

Another difference is body language, which can be more difficult to interpret behind a screen. Poor audio quality too may affect our ability to interpret the tone of voice being used. This foreign and new social stimulus means that our brains are working harder, consuming more energy and consequently, tiring us out.

Of course, there’s always two sides to every story so for some people who find face-to-face conversation difficult, VC can offer a better experience - but high-quality audio and video is still crucial to process the conversation as neurodiverse people have to work extra hard to process someone’s facial expressions or tone of voice, for example. The absence of these cues can compound their difficulties.

How can I implement inclusivity?

The good news is that there are lots of ways in which businesses can facilitate more effective

P24 AV News September 2021

avoid disturbing people who are ‘Busy’.

To protect yourself when you’re busy with work, remember to set your own presence based on whether you are happy to join meetings at short notice or not.

Best practice UC etiquette is to firstly message asking if someone is free to discuss something before calling. This avoids people being forced into a video call when they may not be ready for one. It also gives people who aren’t comfortable with unexpected calls the chance to prepare for the conversation.

•Use the right technology Make sure you are using technology which has the correct specification to support the UC client. Poorly performing hardware will only raise stress levels.

Using a good quality headset will also help, reducing background noise distractions.

The background blur or image is another great feature, removing background visual distractions. Please note, this feature also needs a suitable spec PC to work.

meetings. Hosts need to make sure everyone gets a chance

to speak and contribute via a Q&A. Attendees need to note down input they would like to make, when it is appropriate to do so, rather than just interrupting.

Teams has the raise hand feature now which is a great way to make sure you don’t interrupt and for giving introverted attendees a chance to speak.

Normal physical meeting etiquette around a “best practise” routine will help neurotypical and neurodiverse alike – such as pre-communicated and clearly written agendas, good time keeping, turn-taking, and action assignment.

Well-managed meetings should also provide structure and the host should clearly communicate when people can or cannot speak.

While strong meeting etiquette gives people the clarity, they need to feel comfortable in a video meeting, we recommend giving people the flexibility to multi-task and also to switch off video if this makes them feel more comfortable.

•Record the meeting Recording your video meeting is always good practice. Microsoft Stream provides transcription which allows you to go back and listen again to anything you may have missed.

Microsoft Research suggests “Conversational Assistance” services could help here and Resonate can offer you addon solutions, including AI bots which attend the meeting with you and can assist with taking notes, actions, and transcription.

•Don’t be afraid to take comfort breaks Comfort breaks are a natural part of long physical meetings, but the calendar fixed invite for online meetings often makes us feel we must be present, staring at the screen all the way

through.

For long meetings, organisers should build in a break and allow people to drop video if they need to pop away. To avoid disrupting the meeting if it is in full flow, you can always just message: “have to drop - back soon” into the chat.

Moving forward While video conferencing technology enabled us to continue working efficiently during lockdown and will continue to do so as we move to long-term hybrid working models, we should also recognise the challenges this raises for many people, particularly those who are neurodiverse.

Understanding this is just step one to creating a more inclusive, less stressful and better communicative environment and by using the technology we have to the best of our ability, will enable those who struggle to feel more productive, empowered and confident.

Feature

The future of projection With advances in flat screen technology and its progress in key markets what is the is the future projection? consumer markets? Gerd Kaiser, Senior Product Manager at Sharp NEC Display Solutions Europe believes that the future of projection in commercial markets id secure: “The biggest use of projection is in the delivery of large-scale images. Museums, entertainment, corporates and higher education are all strong users of projection, for content delivery to large numbers of people.”

“For large venues, be it for conferencing, teaching or entertainment purposes, this versatile technology will always offer compelling advantages over other display technology where large images are required at lowest cost. Should social distancing measures endure, ensuring the audience has good visibility of content wherever they are positioned will be a requirement which projection can easily fulfil.”

Advantages Kaiser believes that projection has retained technical advantages in specific niches. “It’s in the >5,000AL where projection really shines, but even in the smaller <75” screen market where LCD dominates, projection still offers compelling advantages:” These include: •“Low cost – even compared to a 75-inch TV or LFD, projection is still the lowest cost solution making it the best choice for cost conscious users whilst still delivering on image quality.

•Flexibility – Projection offers best mobility and flexibility of usage. Business projectors are portable and mobile, they can be moved easily, to be utilised across multiple rooms and spaces, even off site.

•Creativity - Large format displays are only suitable where the infrastructure and space is available to provide the stable support needed; projectors can deliver images onto any kind of surface for wide flexibility and creativity.

Columns, walls, objects or even the floor are all suitable targets for a projected image opening exciting opportunities for POS messaging and customer-surprising digital signage.”

4K. 8K or something else?

How will the technology of projection continue to develop to maintain its competitive advantage against other display technologies? “The demand for 8K is highly specialised, for example in simulation, I do not see this a requirement in mainstream markets. 4K is already widely available and providing the appropriate level of image detail and clarity needed for large-scale image projection. But there are other major developments which are providing ways to differentiate, taking projection into the future.”

“For example, some of NEC’s installation projectors offer embedded computing making them ideal for digital signage applications. They are also networkable enabling centralised remote management such as NEC’s Naviset Administrator to control projection assets over a large estate to manage administration and maintenance more efficiently,” said Kaiser.

Design features Kaiser emphasizes that, while resolution is important, it is by no means the only advance in projection that matters: “We believe that our noiseless projectors really stand out from the crowd. They are appealing for classrooms and meeting rooms - people have come to expect a level of fan noise, but our customers are truly astonished at how silent they are in operation.”

“NEC’s innovation into silent projection technology has been especially well received by the education sector; where lectures are being recorded or live streamed, minimising background noise is essential, especially where ceiling microphones are built into the ceiling mount of the projector.”

“A filter-free design also offers compelling advantages; a sealed optical engine means minimal maintenance requirement leading to significant cost savings – certainly a competitive advantage.

Add-on technologies Incorporating add-on technologies can also widens the application potential for projection: •Edge blending Whilst laser light sources already support high brightness and with 4K resolutions achievable, this can be increased even further by using edge blending technology. Already built-in to Sharp/ NEC projectors and improved by a similar white point, several projectors can combine to create one large picture.

Using Sharp/NEC’s free to download ProAssist software makes it even easier to ensure perfect uniformity across multiple projectors to create a vast digital canvas.

Sharp/NEC’s new PA Series features unprecedented

white point performance, factory calibrated for the perfect white. Also featuring advanced installation capabilities including free tilt and portrait, unique geometric adjustment, picture in picture, tiling, 3D support and camera-based blending/ stacking up to 4K, the new PA Series is rich with professional versatility.

•Projection mapping A projected image does not necessarily need a flat surface, by using built-in geometric control features and morphing capability, high-end installation projectors can be used for mapping onto large buildings or other structures. By illuminating static objects and creating movement, often used for entertainment purposes; outdoors on buildings or bridges or indoors for theatrical scenery, projection mapping creates the all-important wow factor and atmospheric context.

The NEC PH Series is a premium solution for fixed installations in multi-purpose sports and events halls, theatres, museums and leisure parks as well as for most demanding mapping applications and for rental and

staging purposes.

Alternative projection surfaces For many businesses, display technologies became integral to overcoming their communication challenges, helping them develop plans that included visual and digital solutions to encourage social distancing rules, mask mandates, and other guidelines.

The critical need to find innovative ways to convey essential information focused attention on an underutilized surface for displaying images – NEC identified floors as an overlooked surface.

Floors are not a new surface for displaying projected images. Museums, malls, sports and amusement venues, and trade shows are among the organizations that have already adopted floor projection, primarily to display artistic images, provide entertainment content, or add excitement to an event.

When the pandemic struck, however, many businesses soon began looking for better solutions than traditional signs, physical barriers, and floor stickers to promote social

distancing, hand sanitizing, and touchless practices more effectively in their facilities.

Their goal was to conduct business as normally as possible without placing employees and customers at risk.

Some organizations deployed digital displays, which offer the benefits of grabbing the attention of visitors and making it simple to change the content provided. Installed on carts, these displays could be moved to where they were most needed. Others realized that, in appropriate settings, using a projector to display navigation instructions, distancing cues, and other information onto the floor would be an ideal solution.

Advantages of the floor The directions and information that floor projection provides are particularly effective because they’re hard to miss.

Messages and visual cues are literary at viewers’ feet, making them unambiguous and easy to follow.

Floor projection is essentially the same as the familiar process of using a projector to display a large image on a vertical surface. It presents sever-

4

al unique technical issues that need to be addressed, but like standard projection, it enables you to display engaging content on a blank surface.

The COVID-19 pandemic generated demand for effective ways to provide actionable information. Floor projection emerged as a solution to consider for many messaging needs, including: • Providing protocol alerts: alert customers and employees entering a facility about active health protocols • Managing high traffic zones: help customers and visitors navigate safely in high traffic zones and narrow passageways

Projection is making pioneering new advancements with the NEC PH3501QL 4K RB laser projector delivering 40,000 centre lumens brightness. The new flagship model harnesses the best of both laser phosphor and RGB laser technologies resulting in a powerful projector which delivers compelling benefits in terms of cost, operational efficiency and immersive image quality.

P25 AV News September 2021

Feature sumer behaviour.”

“However, while some products and services have seen slowing in demand, others are now more in need than ever before.

Among the trends we observed is an upswing in demand and interest in home entertainment products. With people spending more time entertaining, working and schooling at home, consumers are purchasing products that facilitate this new lifestyle. Products with versatile applicability in the home and that serve a wide range of family members are proving to be the most popular.

One device that successfully meets those demands, and the challenges of the new normal, is the smart LED projector”.

Multiple applications Projection is making pioneering new advancements with the NEC PH2601QL 4K RB laser projector delivering 30,000 centre lumens brightness. The new flagship model harnesses the best of both laser phosphor and RGB laser technologies resulting in a powerful projector which delivers compelling benefits in terms of cost, operational efficiency and immersive image quality.

• Action-intended messaging: enforce or encourage adherence to health protocol rules behavioural actions in specific locations or situations, for example using hand sanitizing stations • Service information: communicate new services and temporary changes, such as curb side pickup Floor projection in shops and transportation Floor projection can be used in a wide range of stores for a variety of purposes, including advertising, branding, traffic management, wayfinding, queueing, and other messaging needs. Retailers can use projectors to display images at the entrance to a store, at end caps, and even in aisles themselves. The projector can show advertisements, indicate the shelf location of seasonal or sale items, and provide information about other types of promotions.

Floor projection provides a dynamic opportunity for retailers to partner with brands to promote their products. All of this information is displayed right at the feet of customers - providing the right message at the right time and the ideal place to drive conversions and sales.

Wayfinding, traffic management, and queueing are major concerns in airports, train stations, and bus depots. Floor projection can help passengers easily navigate through the confusion of transportation facilities to buy tickets, find information booths, and locate their departure gates.

It also provides transportation authorities and retail tenants unique opportunities for messaging and advertising.

Offices and public spaces Floor projection is a natural fit for reception areas, human resources, and other corporate settings. The reception area is usually the first place that visitors see, which makes it an important setting to make a good first impression.

An image projected on the floor in reception and other appropriate areas can display corporate logos and other brand images

to communicate a company’s identity. Messages can also direct visitors through security checkpoints or to specific reception desks or check-in areas when they enter the building. In human resources areas, floor projection can direct job applicants to the appropriate location and convey a sense of the company’s culture.

Floor projection is also an inviting solution in other types of locations. For example, in hospitals and other healthcare facilities, it can display action-intended messages, provide wayfinding, and help manage such high traffic areas as entrances and around elevators.

Restaurants and malls can use floor projection to convey information and provide a wide range of entertainment content. In higher education and K-12 buildings, it can convey messages and wayfinding for students and visitors alike.

Issues in floor projection If this piece has piqued your interest in floor projection, here are some issues you might need to resolve to make it work: • Projection surface Any smooth, light tinted surface will work for most projectors. For the best results, we recommend using matte white (gloss-free) vinyl paint or similar. Your existing floor colour may work well, but it will likely require making a colour adjustment for your projector.

•Ambient light The specifics of your space will also influence a floor projection installation. The amount of ambient light in the space will help you choose a projector with the appropriate brightness level for your installation.

•Projector type The configurations of your space will also determine which type of projector is required. For many installations, a projector with interchangeable lens capability

P26 AV News September 2021

for more flexible long or short throw placement options will be a better fit than a projector with a fixed lens that will need to be placed at a specific height above the floor. an ultra-shortthrow projector model may be ideal. This type of projector has a wide-angle lens and a mirror, which enable the projector to be positioned very close to the projection surface. For floor projection, this feature helps reduce the risk people of people obstructing the projected image by moving between the projector and the floor.

Consumer applications In the commercial world, projection will continue to make sense in the context of larger groups. but what about the consumer space? Dean Tsai, Head of the Projector & LED Display Business Unit of ViewSonic, observed that: “The Covid-19 pandemic has forever changed our world and affected all aspects of our lives, including work, learning, and entertainment. Consumers have had to adapt to meet this “new normal”, and many brands and companies have faced the threat of diminished consumer demands and changes in con-

“Home entertainment is now perhaps more popular, and more important than ever before. Not only do consumers get an immersive audiovisual experience with smart LED projectors, they offer a big screen for a theatre-like experience at home, helping to maintain mental wellbeing and a sense of normalcy during a lockdown situation when cinemas are closed. Smart LED projectors can also be portable, but still pack the power of a much larger device. So it’s easy to take an LED projector to a different room.”

“There are also all the features one would expect from a smart TV, including wireless casting from smart devices via 5GHz Wi-Fi for easy streaming of multimedia content, as well as audio broadcasting via Bluetooth. For working at home, a smart LED projector can serve as a convenient second or third display on any surface, enabling users to achieve greater productivity on a larger screen without taking up too much space. They also allow for mobile device mirroring, and audio output to Bluetooth headphones to avoid disturbing family members or to keep confidential audio under wraps.”

“Smart LED projectors are also conducive to distance learning as they offer a big screen for

virtual lectures and other online class activities for a more personal experience. A larger screen means easier viewing and reading of text, which translates into greater eye comfort. In addition, smart LED projectors cause less eye strain for children and adults alike, as they emanate nearly blue lightfree reflective light as opposed to emitted light on TVs and are mercury-free.”

Customer choice?

Choosing the right projector for a project can be difficult as these types of devices often suffer from a variety of issues, including tedious setup, poor audio performance, high noise level and heat, regular maintenance, and an unattractive design that might not appeal to clients.

ViewSonic has shared how to set up a smart LED projector perfectly at home. Before picking a projector, confirm any special demands with a customer, then check the conditions in terms of setup. These can include how much screen size is desired, the lighting conditions of the room, would the projector be fixed or movable from space to space, compatibility with existing home automation or audio systems, etc.

Should your customer elect to dedicate a room to a home cinema use. AV News’ advice would always be to engage a suitable AV specialist. If they want to do the job themselves: “In this case choose a projector that can create a real cinematic experience with true-to-life colours (LED’s have a wide colour gamut), low fan noise and a tasteful ID design. In terms of set up and installation consider the space, does it require a wall mount? Consider the sound field design to optimise the users experience. Something else to consider is how flexible can the installation be to work with the existing interior design? If the customer’s home already has smart streaming and automation system, make sure that the smart projector is easy to connect to established home systems.”

Equipment choice Installing a projector for home entertainment in a living room comes with space restrictions.

Choose a short or even ultra-short throw projector to save space, while still achieving the desired “big screen” experience. Additionally, the ability to create the cinematic experience without the need for extra external equipment’s such as speakers is essential. Consider a projector that can combine great visuals and sound out of one box. To set up a short throw, specifically an ultra short throw you may need a special projection screen to provide the best experience. Ensure the projector has smart functionality and is easy to set up with content streaming applications and established home systems.

Let’s say you need to install a smart projector for distance learning. In this case, a smart LED projector can be viewed by socially distanced students in class as well as by students watching remotely, as the projector’s feed can be connected to the teacher’s PC and used as a source during their live stream or even for pre-recorded lessons.

Similarly, a smart LED projector could also accomplish the same for collaborative meeting spaces. In both cases, smart LED projectors offer wireless connectivity for casting and screen mirroring, which allows users to quickly and easily share content from their mobile device to a much larger screen that can be projected onto any surface in any space at home with its portable nature. As people spend more time at home, ViewSonic has them placing an even greater value on high-quality projector-enhanced experiences.

The end result is that whether a smart LED projector is used for entertainment, education, or work, they can offer effortless setup, vivid colours and image quality, superior audio, and smart functionality that both streamline workflows and deliver an unparalleled home entertainment experience.

Choosing the right projector for a project can be difficult as these types of devices often suffer from a variety of issues, including tedious setup, poor audio performance, high noise level and heat, regular maintenance, and an unattractive design that might not appeal to clients.

Installation News

Christie partners with Absolute Ultimate AV Christie is pleased to announce that Absolute Ultimate AV (AUAV), an award-winning home theatre integrator, is the exclusive global representative for the Christie Eclipse 4K RGB pure laser projector into the high-end home theatre market.

“We’re excited to partner with AUAV to offer Christie Eclipse to discerning home theatre customers around the world,” says Larry Howard, director of sales, Entertainment, Americas, Christie. “Eclipse is a projector unlike anything else on the market. For customers looking to design and install an ultra-premium, in-home cinema experience, AUAV and Christie Eclipse is the clear choice.”

“With over 30 years of experience designing and installing bespoke home theatres, we select only the best perform-

ing products for our customers, and Christie Eclipse is the best-of-the-best,” says Nigel Archer, co-CEO, AUAV. “Eclipse is capable of dynamic range, contrast, colour and HDR performance that has never been seen before in a home theatre display. It’s quite simply a game-changer.”

Eclipse pushes the boundaries of projection technology, delivering a colour gamut approaching the full BT.2020 colour space and processing and reproducing HDR content on screen. Christie Eclipse is available in three brightness levels – 9,000, 17,000 and 25,000 lumens – to light up even the largest of home theatre screens with brilliant visuals and provides 30,000 hours of optimal performance to 80% brightness.

In collaboration with Christie, AUAV will offer customers Christie’s industry-leading customer support, including installation, maintenance and remote monitoring of Christie Eclipse installations.

Eclipse pushes the boundaries of projection technology, delivering a colour gamut approaching the full BT.2020 colour space and processing and reproducing HDR content on screen

Van Gogh: the multi-sensory experience This autumn, the acclaimed cultural and business destination MediaCityUK will host Van Gogh Alive, ‘the world’s most visited immersive, multi-sensory experience’ that exhibits the life and work of the seminal Dutch artist. Following a smash hit run in Kensington Gardens as London’s must-see cultural

its doors from 22nd October 2021 to 23rd January 2022.

Van Gogh Alive, which The Sunday Times has called “glorious, stunning, but also very moving”, allows you to experience the artist like never before.

This blockbuster multi-sensory experience completely immerses visitors in in the life and

sound system, this combination of sound, visuals and aromas of Provence will give visitors the sensation of walking right into his paintings as if they are living and breathing.

Van Gogh Alive will also feature an interpretive area where you can learn more about Van Gogh’s life and works as well as inter-

perience as a platform to help raise vital funds to continue its incredible work leading the way for cancer care, research, and education. Visitors to the exhibition will have the opportunity to donate to The Christie charity when either purchasing tickets or while at the exhibition.

Bruce Peterson, Owner of Grande Experiences, said: “After mesmerising a global audience of over 8 million

looks absolutely stunning, and we are excited for it to be based at MediacityUK. The Christie relies on the support and donations from the public to provide our patients with the very best care, treatment and access to research options. Monies raised from the Van Gogh Alive exhibition will go towards making life that little bit easier for cancer patients and enhancing their experience while at The Christie hospital.”

people and selling-out cities all over the world, including Rome, Sydney and of course our most recent location at Kensington Gardens in London, we’re incredibly excited to be bringing Van Gogh Alive to MediaCityUK. This is an unforgettable cultural experience for all the family.”

Marie Toller, head of major relationships at The Christie charity, said: “We are delighted that Van Gogh Alive has chosen to support The Christie charity. The experience

MediaCityUK will host Van Gogh Alive, ‘the world’s most visited immersive, multi-sensory experience’ that exhibits the life and work of the seminal Dutch artist.

State-of-the-art SENSORY4 immersive gallery technology immaculately displays Van Gogh’s work in a kaleidoscope of colour. Set to an evocative classical score that is delivered via a high-fidelity 3D sound system. event of the summer, visitors will be treated to a truly worldclass cultural experience in the heart of Greater Manchester’s iconic cultural hub at the MediaCity piazza.

Having welcomed over 8 million visitors in 70 cities around the world including its most recent sell-out runs in London and Birmingham, where it dazzled visitors in a Covid-safe environment, Van Gogh Alive, the immersive Van Gogh experience created by Grande Experiences, promises to be one of the highlights of this autumn’s event calendar when it opens

work of Vincent van Gogh as they travel through periods of his life that defined him as an artist. Experience over 3,000 images from the artist that are spectacularly presented with stunning detail, including iconic works like Starry Night, Sunflowers and lesser-known paintings that were inspired by his love of Japanese woodprints.

State-of-the-art SENSORY4 immersive gallery technology immaculately displays Van Gogh’s work in a kaleidoscope of colour. Set to an evocative classical score that is delivered via a high-fidelity 3D

active art stations where you can create their own art with the help of expert video tutorials.

Visitors can create their own souvenirs within a life-sized walk-in representation of Van Gogh’s ‘Bedroom in Arles’ painting and the iconic ‘Sunflower selfie room’ – a 360° mirrored room complete with hundreds of sunflowers that has delighted Instagram feeds the world over. Create your own modern masterpiece in theses spectacular rooms and share your images using #VanGoghAliveMediaCity.

Van Gogh Alive is supporting The Christie charity and using the ex-

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P27 AV News September 2021

Case Study

Technology innovations for museums and galleries Digital Signage Innovations Digital signage has evolved over the past few years, away from the passive approach of running content in a loop regardless of audience or any external inputs.

The ability to influence the content to deliver a more meaningful message, or to deliver important information is now critical when looking at a signage platform.

At its simplest level, this could just be a motion sensor that triggers a change in content, or an audience measurement platform to tailor content to the viewers.

Where we see the next level of innovation is in the ability to trigger content via the web.

By building a simple web user interface, you can easily allow smart phone users to scan a QR code which will launch the interface and enable them to trigger the content they wish to see. This could be product information in a store, directions to a meeting room, Health and Safety information, menus etc. The scope is endless.

Hardware from organisations such as Nexmosphere allow a number of ways to trigger content, from a button press to proximity sensors that change content depending on the distance from the sensor, therefore removing the requirement to physically touch a device.

Technology innovations for museums and galleries Birmingham Museums Trust operates 9 venues across the city. Signagelive was selected as a digital signage platform in the redevelopment projects that took place during lockdown at Thinktank, Birmingham Science Museum. This included a new shop, relocation of the main entrance and improvements to the Planetarium queue line. A total of four Signagelive enabled screens were installed, including one in the new entrance, two in the new shop and one in the Planetarium queue line.

Information on this project is included below: • Birmingham Museums Trust were keen to get an easy to use Signagelive content management system so multiple users from different departments can manage content if and when required.

•Content requirements include being able to show and easily update opening times, ticket pricing, sales information and also commercial events and catering offers.

• Signagelive provided bespoke widgets and explored how local users and content can easily be updated.

• Birmingham Museum Trust are working with Solutions AV and are using Signagelive supported Samsung Tizen panels for their signage.

• Further screens may be added as further expansion and redevelopment plans take shape and there may also be the opportunity to use the system at other sites.

Jon Harris Technical Manager Birmingham Museums Trust

P28 AV News September 2021

Warren Bremner Channel Manager Signagelive

Review

Logitech Scribe ‘Hybrid working’ is a phrase that not only describes the locations in which many of us work today, but, even before the pandemic, it describes the mix of digital and analogue resources that we all using in the course of a working day. Logitech’s latest product is a tool for bringing the most common analogue resource, the hand annotated whiteboard into the digital domain.

Logitech is now famous for its range of web cams and collaborative peripherals creating a more equitable meeting experience for remote participants. The company is now developing devices that fill the gaps in the digital landscape. The latest offering is the Logitech Scribe an AI-powered whiteboard camera. Logitech Scribe is compatible with leading collaboration platforms like Microsoft Teams and Zoom. The device broadcasts whiteboard content into video meetings with incredible clarity, virtually transporting everyone into the same room.

From meeting rooms to classrooms, Logitech Scribe comes at a crucial time when hybrid work and learning has become more pervasive. Logitech Scribe makes brainstorming, teaching, and team meetings equally accessible and productive for all participants through its simpleto-use design. Levelling the playing field for distributed teams, Scribe gives everyone — in-room or remote — a perfect view of the board. IT fills the gap in provision by digitising content created onthe-fly. like annotations on a diagram, for example.

Enhanced integrations with Microsoft Teams Rooms and Zoom Rooms make the experience effortless. In-room participants can begin sharing whiteboard content into video meetings by simply pressing the wireless button included with Scribe, or tapping the meeting room touch controller, like Logitech Tap. The wireless button currently works with Zoom Rooms, and support for Teams Rooms will come later this year. Scribe also works as a USB content camera with virtually any video conferencing application, providing the flexibility to use Scribe in meeting rooms, classrooms, or even home offices.

High quality video and audio “We’ve obsessively worked toward solving the problems of providing high-quality audio and video collaboration in both meeting rooms and remote desktops, but there remains a gap in integrating non-digital content like whiteboards, or Post-its into virtual meetings,” said Scott Wharton, general manager and vice president, Logitech Video Collaboration. “Logitech Scribe works because it takes advantage of what people already know how to do: pick up a marker and draw on a whiteboard. Now, we’re able

to elevate non-digital collaborative content for everyone to see in high fidelity, while being extremely easy to use and share, thanks to its compatibility with today's most popular cloud services like Teams and Zoom.”

It doesn’t stop there!

Not only does Scribe deal with the problem of analogue content in a digital world, it also takes care of another fundamental issue in the whiteboard – the presenter!

Capturing dry erase surfaces up to six by four feet, Logitech Scribe is a dedicated whiteboard camera that gives virtual meeting participants a clear, real-time view of the whiteboard. Using built-in artificial intelligence, Scribe can render the presenter

Scribe automatically enhances the colour of marker pens so the content is easier to read.

Scribe even has the ability to detect other non-digital content like Post-its, a favourite tool for collaboration sessions. Whether viewing from a laptop at home or on the meeting room display, Scribe makes sure everyone has the best seat at the table.

Elegant and thoughtful With a clean, wall-mounted design and thoughtful cable management, Scribe elegantly blends into any modern office or classroom. Plus, it comes with everything you need to quickly get it up and running. Together with the whiteboard content camera, Scribe includes a wireless share button, mounting components, power supply, and category cables for deployment

Scribe brings the ‘in-room collaboration’ feeling to global conferencing through a sleek and modern whiteboard device. Scribe’s high-definition imaging and plug-and-play connectivity make for an effective and easy to install tool that is essential within the hybrid collaboration industry.

The wireless button currently works with Zoom Rooms, and support for Teams Rooms will come later this year. Scribe also works as a USB content camera with virtually any video conferencing application, providing the flexibility to use Scribe in meeting rooms, classrooms, or even home offices.

Scribe works with all whiteboard surfaces, capturing up to 2m W (6’) by 1.2m H (4’), and any set of dry erase markers transparent, so remote users can see the whiteboard with nothing in the way.

Perhaps less of a problem. but nonetheless desirable,

at scale.

With Scribe, Logitech is expanding what it does best: creating collaborative tools that make it easier for people to interact

with the digital world in more natural and meaningful ways.

“With the almost immediate corporate change from in-office to working from home,

this past year has required us to make a lot of adjustments.

Logitech may have seen these same issues, but they didn’t stop working and created a great product,” said Will Cool, video conference standards and operations at PayPal. “Scribe brings the ‘in-room collaboration’ feeling to global conferencing through a sleek and modern whiteboard device. Scribe’s high-definition imaging and plug-and-play connectivity make for an effective and easy to install tool that is essential within the hybrid collaboration industry.”

Continued Ehrika Gladden, vice president of the global video collaboration commercial organization at Logitech: “Whether your mission includes creativity, design, development, or teaching we’ve gotten a glimpse of what the tech-enabled collaboration of the future can look like with Scribe.”

Conclusion Once again, Logitech has come up with a clever, and yet simple idea that is well executed and superbly packaged. The company is well known for its standard of presentation, and Scribe is no different. Opening the boxes you could be forgiven for being slightly daunted by the number of components and the associated documentation but working through the

instructions is straightforward and it takes around half an hour to complete the installation.

Typical Logitech touches include the provision of a spit level in the mounting bracket and the very neat cable management to keep the meeting room environment tidy. Depending on your digital workflow you might need a Scribe in every meeting room or perhaps only those spaces used for brainstorming or training – anywhere, in fact, where content destined for sharing is created on-the-fly.

Pricing and availability Logitech Scribe is now available in select markets with MSRP starting at $1,199. It is currently compatible with Teams Rooms on Windows and Zoom Rooms. Zoom Rooms Appliances support will be available after launch. For virtually any video conferencing service, Scribe can also operate as a standalone USB content camera when connected to a computer or laptop.

Not only does Scribe deal with the problem of analogue content in a digital world, it also takes care of another fundamental issue in the whiteboard – the presenter! Scribe can render the presenter transparent, so remote users can see the whiteboard with nothing in the way.

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P29 AV News September 2021

Peoplewatch

Peoplewatch Pioneer Group has embarked on a recruitment drive to keep up with demand following a successful end to 2020 and the start of 2021. Mark Childerhouse, Sales Director of Pioneer Group, commented: “When the pandemic first hit was a scary time for us, we initially saw installs being postponed, and it was incredibly nerve-racking. As the months passed, we found ourselves busier than ever with clients looking for advice and support to adapt to the current situation and plan for the future. Many of our clients chose to upgrade their stores and venues while they were quieter and turned to us to support them, and it has led to a requirement to grow our team.”

With lockdown lifted, Pioneer Group is confident that the AV industry's future is optimistic and sees 2021 as the ideal time to invest in personnel. July saw Pioneer Group welcome new starters Johnathan Rose (who joins Pioneer from Prodec Networks), Lauren Butcher (who joins from Softcat) and Luke Derry, who joined as a Sales administrator in April.

Johnathon will be strengthening Pioneer Group’s Unified Communications division as an Account Manager, having spent 15 years in sales roles supporting customers. “I started my AV career in distribution covering a sales and a technical role for RGB Communications before moving to an integrator. For the last two years, I've been working with various clients in the corporate and education sectors to help deliver collaborative solutions and am excited to jump into my new role for the Pioneer Group, where I will be continuing to support clients with these solutions,” confirmed Jonathan.

Lauren has been in IT sales for the past two years, working as an Account Manager to help facilitate intelligent IT solutions to public sector organisations such as schools and colleges for Softcat.

“I wanted a role that would combine my love of hospitality and retail with my passion for AV technology and supporting customers. My new role as an Account Manager at Pioneer Group will be focused on the retail sector, and I can’t wait to help customers with innovative AV/Digital signage solutions.”

Luke Derry joined Pioneer Group in April and is part of an apprenticeship scheme to support new talent. “I'm really excited about the opportunity here at Pioneer; I studied Information Technology at Southampton Solent University and have a passion for technology. To be working with a company that works with such prestigious customers installing and implementing these worldclass solutions is amazingly exciting, and I can't wait to see what my future holds.”

Natalie Gould, Operations Director of Pioneer Group, stated: “We are growing our operations and engineering teams to provide key support to the growth of our business. 2020 was a year that no one could have predicted, but it also showed us what a great team of people we have. We have been able to come through the pandemic stronger than ever. These three new recruits into our sales team are the tip of the iceberg as we continue to grow and develop to support our customers.”

Johnathon will be strengthening Pioneer Group’s Unified Communications division as an Account Manager, having spent 15 years in sales roles supporting customers.

Luke Derry joined Pioneer Group in April and is part of an apprenticeship scheme to support new talent.

Lauren Butcher has been in IT sales for the past two years, working as an Account Manager to help facilitate intelligent IT solutions to public sector organisations such as schools and colleges for Softcat.

Powersoft has confirmed the appointment of Akira Mochimaru to serve as its new global marketing director, effective immediately.

His duties in this role will be to connect dots between customers, technology, products, communication, and distribution through strategic business planning and guiding implementation. Based in the US, he will also coordinate with Powersoft’s operations in New Jersey to help growing the company’s presence in the install market through his knowledge and network of contacts.

Mochimaru has made his move to Powersoft permanent after serving as a consultant for three months. He comes with an outstanding pedigree and track record extending over 38 years in the pro audio industry, including working as general manager for Bose Professional.

“My personal mission is to connect customer experience and products through the use of advanced technology with unique value,” said Mochimaru. “I have already experienced situations where customer problem-driven ideas met a company’s technology driven ideas. Powersoft has the capability and foundation to convert technologies to solve customers’ problems and improve their experience, so I look forward to working closely with staff across the divisions to develop a plan and execute it with excellence.”

“When I first visited Powersoft’s HQ, I was immediately impressed by their capabilities in testing and the way they ensured product quality remained high throughout the design and manufacturing process. Their combination of innovative thinking and technical excellence made the decision to join Powersoft an easy one, and the trusting relationship I was able to establish straight away with Powersoft’s senior management was very reassuring.”

“We are proud and delighted to have Akira Mochimaru joining our team” said Luca Lastrucci, CEO at Powersoft. “His appointment represents an important step in the process of implementing Powersoft's strategy of strengthening its presence in the installation sector, especially in specific vertical applications. Akira's experience will be essential to help us to encompass the current and future needs of the market, by focusing on objectives and defining the products of the future, which will make Powersoft able to maintain a leading role in professional audio.”

Luca Giorgi, Powersoft sales director, added: "Powersoft has been successfully interacting with partners and clients since the beginning; actively listening to their points of view on everything from product design to customer service. Having Akira on board allows us to improve the customer experiences even more, ensuring we always meet their needs and move quickly to solve their common problems.”

Dalet has announced that it has strengthened its organization with the appointments of Marc Mongomard as Head of Global Customer Success; Maria Bulavskaya as Product Manager, Customer Care; and Ben Zores as Head of Cloud Operations. A cornerstone of the company’s transformation, the newly established leadership roles will focus on proactive customer success, expanding programs and services that enable customers to get the most from Dalet's lineup of agile, cloud-native solutions and SaaS offerings.

“The pandemic drastically accelerated the industry's move into cloud and SaaS workflows, resulting in updated policies, new work specifications, and improved benchmarks for customer success,” comments Stephane Schlayen, Chief Operating Officer, Dalet.

“Maria, Ben and Marc will work across the Dalet organization to optimize every aspect of how we support and engage with our customers, from dedicated customer success managers, to making infrastructure complexity transparent and delivering best-in-class mobility solutions. Together, they will build a culture of excellence when it comes to Dalet’s customer experience.”

On the heels of its rebrand, Dalet accelerated the development of its cloud-native and SaaS offerings, including increased investment in its content supply chain and production solution Dalet Flex, the launch of SaaS-based Dalet AmberFin Cloud Transcoder Service and the introduction of the industry’s first SaaS-based enterprise news solution, Dalet Pyramid. Experts in developing value-based customer experiences, Marc, Ben and Maria bring extensive SaaS and cloud digital transformation expertise to Dalet.

Working across the organization, they will leverage Dalet’s data-driven approach to refine package needs and usage, transforming the customer journey with the goal of making it even easier to adopt, deploy and scale Dalet enterprise solutions.

Dalet Team - Key Appointments Marc Mongomard - Head of Global Customer Success A champion of customer transformation, Marc and his team will own the customer journey from onboarding to renewal and beyond. Focused on the customer lifetime value, Marc will create programs and services that increase satisfaction and drive a positive customer experience. Marc is a dynamic customer-centric leader who has worked for SaaS startups to global companies transitioning from on-premise to SaaS. When not overseeing digital transformation projects, he enjoys scuba diving.

Maria Bulavskaya - Product Manager, Customer Care An important connecting point between customer needs and Dalet innovation, Maria will view products and services through the customer lens, bringing a fresh perspective. She will work across all Dalet product lines to ensure an optimal journey throughout the customer lifecycles: acquisition, engagement and retention.

A classical musician who can be seen performing with the local orchestra, Maria comes to Dalet from travel giant Amadeus where she spent a decade in product management with a focus on partnerships.

Benjamin Zores - Head of Cloud Operations Responsible for global cloud operations, Benjamin and his team will optimize how Dalet deploys, upgrades, supports and maintains mission-critical cloud environments. An expert at managing cloud environments at scale, Benjamin will ensure Dalet solutions operate at optimal reliability, capacity, efficiency, security and cost. Prior to joining Dalet, Benjamin was Director of Cloud Operations and Infrastructure at Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise, where

Powersoft has confirmed the appointment of Akira Mochimaru to serve as its new global marketing director,

P30 AV News September 2021

Peoplewatch

Peoplewatch

IDNS has appointed Tom Shevlin as Technology Consultant for South Wales and the West of England. Tom will be responsible for leading business development across the region and will leverage IDNS’s numerus frameworks in the area including NPS, HEPCW and Caerphilly DPS. Shelvin has spent the last 18 years working in business development within the AV sector and brings a wealth of experience and knowledge with him. “The proficiency and know-how I have gained over the last two decades in the AV and IT space has allowed me to recognise and meet the expectations of customers in Wales and the South West across multiple verticals.”

Shevlin highlights the next few years as a very exciting time for IDNS: “With their continued growth and development, IDNS are only going one way over the next few years, and I for one, am looking forward to being part of that journey. As the lines between AV and IT continue to blur, IDNS are perfectly positioned to provide their customers with technology that delivers a truly integrated solution.”

The news of Shevlin’s appointment comes only weeks after IDNS won a 3-year sole supplier agreement with the University of Wales Trinity Saint David in Swansea. The agreement will see IDNS work in partnership with the university to provide next generation technology solutions for the students of the future.

“Bringing Tom in to lead our development in South Wales is another big step forward for IDNS,” said Darren Clayman, IDNS’s Managing Director.

“Tom has a great reputation in the industry, and we feel his years of experience will be of great benefit to IDNS. This is just one of the appointments we have made in the recent weeks as we continue to move forward with our exciting growth plans.”

After 16 years as business development manager at POLAR, well known industry figure, Mark Bromfield, has joined CUK Group in the newly created role of director of system solution sales. This new field-based role is one of a number that require to be filled at CUK Group during a period of rapid expansion fuelled by both organic growth and acquisition.

Bromfield’s new position has been created to ensure that customers continue to receive a high level of support encompassing presales design, tender assistance and training. Commenting on his decision to join CUK Group, Mark said “After leaving POLAR, I took some time out to ride around the country on my motorbikes and consider my next career move. Of the opportunities that presented themselves, the role at CUK Group was the perfect fit. I’ve known a lot of the team for many years so already feel at home and enthused to be joining the company at an exciting time.”

Adding to this, CUK Audio Managing Director, Stuart Thomson said, “Mark’s strong relationships with both integrators and end users combined with his commercial and technical knowledge have allowed him to hit the ground running. Our customers are already reaping the benefits of having Mark’s skills and experience at their disposal”.

After 16 years as business development manager at POLAR, well known industry figure, Mark Bromfield, has joined CUK Group in the newly created role of director of system solution sales.

Technological Innovations Group (TIG) has announced the appointment of Andre Goltara as its new Residential Sales Engineer.

Based in TIG's Head Quarters in Rijmenam, Belgium, Andre's responsibilities will include working closely with the sales team to communicate to AV integrators the real value of Crestron's residential solutions, and to demonstrate how the Crestron Home ecosystem itself can be the game changer for their business. Additionally, Andre will also manage TIG's range of interactive Experience Spaces, located in central hubs across EMEA.

On his appointment, Andre comments: "I'm excited to start working for TIG as I see a lot of new opportunities in growing the residential side of the business in Europe and in showcasing Crestron's technology in our Experience Spaces. This year in 2021 I achieved the Crestron Master Technology Architect certification for both commercial and residential markets, together with only another 50 people around the world. I have always felt like I am part of the Crestron family. So now I am thrilled to start my journey as a Crestron Sales Engineer at TIG!" Steven Dullaert, TIG's Director of Residential Sales for Crestron in EMEA, adds: "We are delighted to welcome Andre into our residential sales team! He brings with him an impressive wealth of knowledge and experience, having worked with Crestron for more than 18 years in many different roles from technician and integrator to programmer, project manager, senior designer and consultant, and in many different regional markets (South America, North America and Europe). In addition to his vast knowledge of Crestron systems for smart homes, he also brings with him fantastic experience in project management. We're excited to have him on board!"

Edbak has named a new worldwide Commercial Director. The company has welcomed back Michal Strzelec in the new role. As the market for AV projection, displays, and digital signage morphs to follow market shifts, Edbak continues to launch new and innovative mounting products. In August, Michal Strzelec re-joined Edbak to lead the company’s domestic and international sales growth as Commercial Director.

Strzelec has spent more than 11 years in commercial positions in the AV industry, including the eight years he worked in Edbak. Most recently he has worked for the last three years in LG Electronics. Edbak expects his excellent knowledge of the market, customers and vendors will contribute to the overall development of the commercial business at Edbak.

“The Edbak company has a great potential in terms of human capital and technological facilities. It is also a stable and trustworthy business partner, which is the basis for building long-term relationships,” says Strzelec. “There are many changes in the way the sales channel functions and organizes, as well as updating the product offer. Our goals are to increase the recognition of the Edbak brand and to expand the sales network on the Polish and international markets. I am glad that I can be a part of these changes and contribute to the further success of a Polish family business in the international arena.”

Based in the centre of Europe in Poland, Edbak is a family company with extensive manufacturing experience accumulated during its 29-year history Clear-Com is pleased has announced the promotion of Jay Wallace to Senior Regional Sales Manager, North-western USA with the addition of Latin America to his sales territory. In his expanded role, Wallace will continue supporting partners in his Northwest territory while simultaneously cultivating and strengthening ClearCom’s relationships with Partners in Latin America, as both regions have experienced continued growth.

Despite the residual effects of the global pandemic, Clear-Com has maintained sales in its U.S. and Latin American customer bases, as businesses evolved, expanded and upgraded their communications systems across markets. Many professionals have come to experience the value of their intercom solutions during this time, by allowing them to remain operational by facilitating remote, hybrid, and socially distanced workflows. Wallace will play a critical role in educating current and future dealer partners and customers on how Clear-Com’s significant technology, innovations and enhanced intercom capabilities can translate into more efficient production workflows.

“I am very pleased to promote Jay Wallace to this new role which now adds oversight of Latin America to his already impressive sales territory. Jay has been with Clear-Com for over twelve years, managing the Northwest US, and Canada. He has hands on experience, a deep technical knowledge, and a commitment to work closely with our partners to provide the best solutions possible.

Jay will quickly become a trusted asset to our partners and clients across Latin America,” commented Michael Rucker, Director of Sales, Americas.

Wallace has been in sales for Clear-Com since he started in 2009.

He is also a long time user of Clear-Com products and worked

for Kennedy ENG, a Clear-Com dealer-partner, before joining the sales team. His background in media and communications dates back to 1979 when he took a job at KBMT-TV in Beaumont, Texas, and he has held many subsequent sales and technical positions at a variety of prominent TV and radio stations, including KDFI-TV, KAAM/KZPS Radio and Midcom/Dallas Cowboys radio.

"Latin America presents a new challenge and offers new and exciting opportunities. I look forward to being a strong advocate for our Partners, growing our business, opening new market segments, and continuing to support our customers in any and all of their communications needs," said Wallace.

Clear-Com is pleased has announced the promotion of Jay Wallace to Senior Regional Sales Manager, North-western USA with the addition of Latin America to his sales territory.

Wallace will remain based out of Clear-Com’s U.S. headquarters in Alameda, California.

L-Acoustics Creations has appointed Mike Sumner to the position of Business Manager, based in L-Acoustics Americas headquarters in Westlake Village, California. In this newly created role, Sumner spearheads the growth of the L-Acoustics Creations brand throughout the United States and Canada, reporting to L-Acoustics Creations Global Business Manager Nick Fichte, based in London, United Kingdom.

Sumner’s remit includes exploring new business opportunities, developing sales targets and strategies, gathering and sharing market intelligence, building and supporting the brand’s Certified Integrator network, and collaborating with the manufacturer’s application and communications teams, among other duties.

Mike Sumner brings over a decade of experience in residential audio to L-Acoustics Creations. He spent nearly eight years with Harman International’s Luxury Audio/Lifestyle Division working as US Team Lead and Senior Global Field Support Engineer. He also served as Senior Audio Consultant and Luxury/Pro Audio Coordinator for the Lifestyle Division’s New York City operations. Prior to that, he held managerial positions with both Bose and Adorama, plus operated a personal technology consultancy, Electro Consulting. Sumner holds an Electrical Engineering degree from DeVry University in North Brunswick, New Jersey.

“Since inception, L-Acoustics Creations has made great strides in connecting with integrators in the UK and Europe,” shares Nick Fichte. “Mike will play a key role in bringing the power of professional audio to integrator partners in the North American markets.

His passion for the high-end, luxury home audio market, combined with an understanding of how L-Acoustics Creations sound systems and immersive sound spaces offer something truly different, sets the stage for growing our reputation and client base.”

“L-Acoustics Creations is perfectly positioned for expansion, and I’m very excited to be joining the company,” Sumner enthuses.

“If you take the vision our founder, Christian Heil, has for the Creations division and combine that with the long-running heritage and success of L-Acoustics in the pro audio market, it’s quite apparent that this company offers an experience unlike anything else in the home market.

“I look forward to showcasing our products in person—both at upcoming trade shows and in our California showroom—because experiencing these systems, as well as our immersive sound spaces, Island and Ocean, quickly proves that L-Acoustics Creations is much more than just another loudspeaker brand. Rather, it’s the start of a massive paradigm shift on bringing the uncompromising sonic experience of live concerts, theatre, films, and more into the home.”

Mike Sumner, Business Manager, L-Acoustics Creations, pictured with Island, an immersive sound space.

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P31AV News September 2021

Diary and Events

Bett’s sets up one to ones with key prospects “Bett is continually evolving, it’s how we stay we ahead, and for next year we have some exciting innovations, which will help you super-charge your lead generation activity.” Maximising ROI and generating qualified leads at Bett has become paramount for our clients.

We’re delighted to be scaling the Hosted Leaders Programme for 2022 to meet this need.

The programme enables Education Solution Providers, to obtain tangible ROI through 15 minute, 1:1 meetings, with carefully selected school, university and government leaders looking for the services and products you provide. The Educator Leaders are pre-qualified by our new, in-house, community team. Each of these global leaders: What is the Hosted Leaders Programme?

The Hosted Leaders Programme matches school, university and government leaders with thoughtfully selected education solution providers to discover innovative new products and services, via 15 minute faceto-face meetings. Meetings will take place at designated times throughout 19-21 January 2022, alongside the Bett and Learnit events in the S1 and S2 Halls, ExCel London.

Each meeting is based on both parties mutual interest. Meetings are only matched where there is value for both the educator leader and the company. This invaluable initiative provides tangible ROI for all participants. Book now to discover a truly unique opportunity to start building productive, meaningful relationships with future partners.

Who can take part?

1. Educator Leaders: K-12, HE or Government The programme is open to anyone in a leadership position within a school, university, or education system (e.g. government or state). Each education leader must be responsible for buying or evaluating education products, services and/or technology. Applicants should apply via our website or email hosted@bettshow.com for more information.

2. Education Solution Providers The programme is open to all

learning and technology companies that provide solutions or services to schools, universities and governments, both in the UK and internationally. “ Email hosted@bettshow.com to get involved As an education solution provider, what do I get?

•Scheduled meetings with pre-qualified educator leaders searching for your solution, product and/or service. Request meetings with leaders and showcase how your company can deliver the solution for their institution and overcome the issue they are trying to solve.

•Choose your meeting package and meet leaders that match your key customer profile. There are two meetings packages available on this programme: Leader Plus; 6 x 15-minute meetings with educator leaders who meet one or more of the following criteria: a. Responsible for budget across 6 or more institutions b. Budget of $1 million (£700k) or more c. Work for a ministry of education at a federal, state or municipal level • 6 meetings are £3,300 plus VAT. Additional meetings can be purchased at £550 plus VAT per meeting.

Email hosted@bettshow.com to get involved Timeline: •Book your meetings by 26 November 2021 Register for the programme,

This new Bett format allows you to meet with leaders where there is a genuine value for both of you. choose your package and/ make payment for your total number of meetings.

•Onboarding closes 6 December 2021 Complete your company profile on the Hosted Leaders Platform, confirm the criteria of people you are looking to meet with and upload case studies to showcase your product or service.

•Meeting selection takes place 8-12 December 2021 Log in to the platform, review the participating educator leaders and submit your preferred selection of meeting requests.

• Meeting confirmation takes place 4-6 January 2022 Confirm or decline additional meeting requests from educator leaders who have asked to meet with you.

• Final schedule of meetings provided 7 January 2022 Receive your final schedule of at-event meetings, based on each participant preferences and availability.

• Meetings take place 19-21 January 2022 Why this programme is different?

You decide who you want to meet. All meetings are double opt-in; both parties must agree to the meeting taking place.

This means you meet with leaders where there is a genuine value for both of you. You also have the option to decline meeting requests from leaders where you don’t

PLASA Show launches seminar and training programme The PLASA Show has recently launched its programme ready for the 2021 edition of the show, running from 5-7 September at Olympia London.

Sponsored by Vectorworks, the programme of seminars and training sessions is set to deliver in-depth content on the future of live production, immersive product experiences

session, Schematic and Rack Layout Design in Vectorworks ConnectCAD, details the complete schematic workflow from creation of signal flow diagrams to designing rack layouts with ConnectCAD. In addition to the Theatre Show Hub, the ABTT will be running a session on their Technical Standards for Places of Enter-

and plenty of practical training, bringing skills and knowledge to the forefront of the show experience.

The programme is completely free and unlimited for all pre-registered PLASA Show visitors, with free registration ending midnight Tuesday 31st August. The programme is available to view on the show website, with more sessions being announced over the coming weeks.

Vectorworks are delivering two

tainment, which will surely be one of the most popular programme entries. More sessions on the topic of safety come from chartered engineer James Eade who will detail electrical safety changes for 2022 and an expert panel discussing Health & Safety Essentials.

Leading lighting manufacturer ETC are hosting two sessions, one comparing moving lights and how to interpret specification sheets, and the other asking how – and why – to

um console and CHAUVET’s Ovation Reve E3. On a more technical note, there will be an industry panel hosted by PLASA detailing the latest developments on EcoDesign, the new regulation for stage lighting.

Addressing audio, the unmissable d&b Soundscape Theatre hosted by d&b audiotechnik will run throughout all three days. This new feature will invite visitors to escape the buzz of the show floor and immerse themselves in Soundscape demonstrations and seminars, each showcasing the cutting edge of immersive audio technology. Additionally, audio manufacturers will host live audio demonstrations in controlled environments, allowing visitors to hear what major sound systems are capable of.

This includes RCF Audio who will be demonstrating their NX 9 Series, the new standard in portable sound, as well as KV2 Audio who will return with their market-leading products.

Looking to the future of live productions, Carol Scott from TAIT will deliver a keynote talk on how the live sector can become a sustainable industry; Tom Harper and Robin Elias from Unusual Rigging will look at the evolution of rigging; and lighting visualiser James Simpson will unpack the most popular entries from his LSi column, Future Tech. Finally, an informal session on apprenticeships will take place on

technical sessions based on their software products, firstly looking at Concert Design and Pre-visualisation with Vectorworks Spotlight and MVR Export, which follows a complete concert design workflow, from creating detailed drawings and rigging plots to exporting a fully functioning pre-visualisation model. Their second

use multi-emitter LEDs. Plus, Dan Murfin from the National Theatre will teach you how to incorporate the game-changing Augment3d into your workflow. Hands-on training comes from ChamSys and CHAUVET Professional who will be hosting practical training on their newest consoles and fixtures, including the ChamSys Stadi-

the last morning of the show, led by employers with existing apprenticeship schemes and forward-thinking educational institutes.

More seminars will be announced in the coming weeks.

For more information about the programme and to register for the show please visit www.plasashow.com

InfoComm 2021 announces education program This program will dive into the key factors influencing design and integration – from the pandemic to inclusivity “AV experiences start with insightful designs, and InfoComm 2021 is offering a variety of perspectives to enhance your design and integration toolbox,” said Annette Sandler, Director of Live Content U.S./ Canada, AVIXA. “A theme that’s woven throughout this program is the importance of designing for all. These sessions will challenge the way you approach design to create a better AV experience for everyone.”

The session “Redesigning the Virtual Healthcare Workspace During a Pandemic” will explore how Mass General Brigham healthcare system’s collaborative media department and myriad of teleconferencing, streaming, hosting, and remote work tools became critical overnight. Bo Toof, Senior Video Producer and Streaming Specialist at Partners Health-

Care, will share success stories, including a high-visibility live-streamed Harvard Medical Grands Rounds presentation and interview with Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAD).

In the session “Getting Real About Inclusive Design,” Bren Walker, Partner and Principal of Integrated Systems at Kirkegaard, will discuss the key principles of inclusive design, the relationship between diversity and inclusive design, how inclusive design relates to universal design and accessibility, and the ROI of inclusive design. The session will look at how Microsoft and the University of Cambridge's Inclusive Design Toolkits have been used in real-world situations, as well as a case study of inclusive design principles on AV systems design projects for performing arts and education projects.

Emily Conrad, Co-Founder and President of Tessellate Studio,

P32 AV News September 2021

and Rachel Casanova, Senior Managing Director of Cushman & Wakefield, will present the session “How Strategy Defines Workplace Content Design and Implementation.” Conrad and Casanova are collaborators defining a holistic workplace experience with a goal to create office spaces people want to go to every day. In this session, they will offer an overview of the process that shapes their experiential projects and detailed techniques and technologies they employ.

Learn more about InfoComm 2021 and register to attend at www.infocommshow.org

UC Expo 6th -7th October 2021 UC EXPO is designed to give heads of IT and Communication professionals all the insight and technology needed to build a world-class UC roadmap.

The comprehensive experience has something for everyone across the IT industry, including CTOs, IT Directors, Heads of Infrastructure, IT Managers, Solution & Enterprise Architects, Network Managers, Net-

work and System Engineers, and Unified Communications specialists.

What's even better is for 2021 we will be co-locating with our sister event Digital Transformation EXPO (DTX), the UK's biggest digital transformation event! Combining the two events will create the UK’s largest independent technology event in the 2nd half of 2021, with the world’s best brands

and tech solutions under one roof. This will be perfectly timed to support an economic bounce back as we start to build back better after the pandemic.

In the age of digital transformation, it has never been a better time to attend. See a plethora of new tech and services by getting your free pass here: https://bit.ly/2UXhunm