AI & UC in 2024

  Over the past few years, we have witnessed an explosion of Unified Communication (UC) applications. Companies are working hard to provide an environment that allows for equitable meeting experiences for hybrid and remote employees. The goal is to remove all distractions and friction from the user experience to provide a comfortable and productive collaboration space. Audiovisual (AV) expertise should not be required to conduct a virtual meeting. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) have made this possible. UC platforms are now smart enough to adjust volume, resize video images of participants to provide meeting equity for successful hybrid meetings, mute unwanted noise, take meeting notes, analyze communication, and assist with language barriers. AI can also provide metrics such as room temperature information and the number of participants in the meeting. Just one year ago, these features required user intervention. Those UC application companies that did not keep up with their competitors have already left the UC market. Technology is moving at a rapid pace. AI can also assist with jobs such as programming. AI can take on repetitive tasks so that traditional programmers can spend their efforts building customer-centric software solutions for a better user experience. Our job descriptions are beginning to shift. It is important that businesses plan ahead for a future with AI. Training in technology and soft skills can help ensure success for your employees and your business. We will begin to see Augmented Reality (AR) combined with AI in the meeting space. For example, if you have not seen the new Apple Vision Pro goggles for spatial computing, I suggest you check them out. Technologies such as this provide new pathways for AR and AI to disrupt the market. I would love to use these, or a technology similar to Vision Pro, in the field to easily verify shop drawings and construction conditions while I have my team or the client on a videoconferencing call. Or in our meeting spaces to review drawing packages with clients and navigate these coordination meetings using my hands, voice, and eyes. This type of application can also transform remote training videos into interactive spaces for learning. I foresee mixed reality along with AI creating completely new meeting and learning environments in the not-so-distant future. January 11, 2024

AV & Acoustics for Videoconferencing

Is your videoconferencing system unintelligible?  Have you installed a videoconferencing system just to find that your lack of acoustical treatment makes everything unintelligible? If it sounds bad in the room, imagine how remote participants feel! Through a properly design AV system with the right acoustical treatment, your space can look, feel and sound amazing! The Conference Room  Office spaces provide a variety of areas for collaboration. This is one of the key factors in having employees in-office. If the rooms aren't functioning properly it is discouraging for all parties. We typically see conference rooms with large windows and reflective walls, large conference tables, and dual displays or video walls. All of these elements are reflective in nature making these spaces problematic and defeating their main purpose - video conferencing.  AV & Acoustics Luckily, we have seen a shift in technology such as ceiling microphone capabilities where sound can be directed towards a speaker and not cover the entire space. These microphones are often designed into today's conference rooms. Taking that one step further, these ceiling microphones can be custom wrapped in acoustic material to not only match the interior design on the ceiling, but also provide additional absorption for the space.  When acoustical treatment is not incorporated into a space properly, reflections can make audio unintelligible, making participants lose focus, fatigued, and uninterested in collaborating. To assist with acoustical absorption, we can visit your office and provide an analysis that will inform us on how much coverage you require for your videoconferencing needs. There are many solutions available to meet your aesthetics and acoustical requirements.  If you are interested in learning more about AV and acoustical design for your videoconferencing space, feel free to connect with us! We look forward to helping you with your next project! 3/24/2024

Biotech & AV

It is no secret that biotechnology has taken over the Boston market. It is the number one biotech hub in the world. A MassBio report stated the Life Sciences industry in Massachusetts continues to experience significant growth. Boston, Cambridge, Worcester, Waltham, and now Allston have been attracting the best talent in the world within the Life Sciences industry. Despite high rents and real estate costs, biotech companies want to be in the center of it all, bringing new jobs to students and the brightest minds in bio tech, influencing the biotech sectors of the local higher education facilities, and developing neighborhoods from a dormant industrial state to vibrant communities. So, what does this have to do with AV? Everything! Employees require effective communication and collaboration tools to produce great results. Companies also need to tell their story internally to their staff and externally to existing and future investors. The biotech industry is a competitive and lucrative industry and requires top talent. Obtaining and keeping top talent means culture and the “wow” factor matter - A LOT! Some of the top trends in the AV industry for 2024 include AI, immersive experiences, digital signage and interactive displays, wireless collaboration, video walls and projection mapping, and networked AV. All of these trends play an important role in the development of a new biotech facility. AVCT consultants have designed numerous AV systems for a variety of biotech companies in the Boston area. Here is an example of a typical space. The moment you enter a biotech company you will experience an architecturally stunning lobby with video walls or impressive projection mapping that accommodates the architectural design. The goal here is to provide engaging and continuously new content that tells a story about the company. It also adds a “wow” factor and draws employees and investors into the building. It is important that this content stays relevant and updates continually to keep people engaged. Videoconferencing systems have come a long way and now include multiple cameras, AI technology to accommodate note taking, language barriers, and help you with your presentation skills, and offer collaboration tools for effective communication for in-room and remote participants. Wireless collaboration and BYOD is the norm, making connecting and sharing in a meeting space simple for all participants. We see a variety of solutions from large conference rooms to huddle rooms and open collaboration spaces. The key here is consistency of the technology throughout the company. Cafes typically include an all-hands space with a mixture of video walls, multiple displays, projection, sound reinforcement, and DJ locations. These spaces provide digital signage, videoconferencing capabilities, and IPTV to display the daily news or sporting events (go Red Sox!). Gone are the days of a small employee break room. These Café spaces provide a welcoming and fun space for the entire team to meet up and have those impromptu side conversations that lead to incredible innovation. Our AV designs are typically networked AV systems that allow for a simplified system with increased collaboration capabilities and a centralized head end. Using a networked AV system also can help reduce conduit and power requirements, reduce the number of devices required for the system, improve the ease of installation and future upgrades and system expansion, and provide remote management solutions. We also focus on sustainable AV design practices that help our clients and end users meet their sustainability goals. With scores of biotech projects under our belt, the AVCT team can help you design your next biotech space. Contact us today at info@avconsultingteam.com We look forward to collaborating with you. References:  An Emerging Hub: How Biotech Spread to Allston | News | The Harvard Crimson (thecrimson.com) Boston is the World’s Largest Biotech Hub | EPM Scientific  

Mass Communication

At AVCT, we take designing audiovisual systems seriously. We enjoy all types of projects from experiential spaces to sports facilities, corporate and health care. Sometimes our designs can actually save lives. Let us look at mass communication system implementation.   Mass communication systems in K-12, colleges, universities, healthcare, and industrial spaces are the most important component when it comes to active shooter lock downs, severe weather warnings, 911 alerting, hazmat emergencies, and other paging and intercom requirements. Communication must happen simultaneously during these emergencies to be the most effective. Communication must be audible and intelligible for all. Public Address (PA) systems, security cameras, and other visual cues all are important components for mass communication. For the purposes of this blog, I will focus on active shooters, something that hits home for all of us. If there is an active shooter, only people near the threat know about it because not everyone is close by or aware of the shooter’s existence. The longer the delay in notification, the higher the chance of multiple fatalities. Therefore, the PA system needs to provide immediate notification, and this can be achieved through automated systems. Long gone are the days when the principal or security team are the only one is allowed to make an announcement over the PA system. You can now integrate technology for automated messaging from computers, phones, and other devices into the mass communication system. This allows the announcements to be clear and concise and continually repeat or loop. A looped recording gives people in a lock down situation the freedom to get others to safety and not worry about making an announcement themselves. This not only allows the announcement to provide accurate information that your students or employees have practiced, but also does not require any one person to be a target for the shooter. It is a much more effective and safer way to communicate. Active shooters are attracted to sight and sound. A pre-recorded loop can also help mask other sounds to protect those that are crying, breathing loudly, talking, or escaping. This loop will put pressure on the shooter as they are reminded that there is a lock down in place, law enforcement has been notified and is in route, and it continually warns others of the situation. The PA system needs to cover the entire property and outside of the property as well to keep arriving visitors from entering the building. You can enhance the PA system by using visual notifications such as digital signage or strobe lights. This allows those hard of hearing and notifies the entire community of an emergency. For schools, there are grants to help pay for mass communications systems. Please see the link below: https://cops.usdoj.gov/svpp Sadly, this is the reality we live in. Don’t be at risk for liability because you didn’t act with a pre-recorded, automated mass communication system. Learn how AVCT can help you save lives and integrate new technologies into your current PA system, or help you upgrade to a new system by reaching out to us at info@avconsultingteam.com. References: https://www.crisisrealitytraining.com/?utm_campaign=Mass%20Communications%20-%202023&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8ry97gXjKxBYYOYAqpjHB7IBcGHn4JYR21QG2Ze3aeOXwHjVsXi8TK-F8OZztiwV6OIdOMwo9IwdTqSTrJ27LX6hT7Eh0t2ByJsUmUYVCM0gMrFVs&_hsmi=274326520&utm_content=274326520&utm_source=hs_automation

AV & The Olympics - Part 1

The Olympics were amazing! The display of good sportsmanship and love for all countries was felt at the events and throughout the city. People of all cultures got along. They were happy, supportive, and grateful to be there. Of course, I could not help but notice the audiovisual systems that were utilized during the games and how sustainability was one of the driving forces behind the selected technology. With an increased labor shortage and an increase in network demand, manufacturers met Paris' sustainability requirements with energy efficient solutions. A few key takeaways are listed below: AVoIP - Panasonic used its Kairos IP/IT platform to deliver content to stadiums and Fan Zones across the city. A single Kairos Core produced content for up to three venues. This simplified workflow and streamlined operations. AVoIP was the core live production platform of the 2024 Olympics broadcast operations. Smaller Projectors - There were 130 laser projectors installed. This was the largest deployment of projectors ever seen at the Olympics. However, Panasonic used compact and lightweight projectors - some of the smallest and brightest projectors on the market and 40% smaller than its predecessor. This reduction in size led to reduced labor requirements minimizing transportation, storage and installation efforts, and reduced the carbon footprint of the games. Remote Management – By using remote management services, operators were able to manage large-scale, multi-projection systems from the cloud and address issues such as image misalignment due to vibrations from a remote location. Implementing sustainable design not only met Paris' energy goals but improved the overall experience of the games for techs, athletes, and fans. I encourage AV designers, manufacturers, and integrators to see the win-win of sustainable design. Overall, this was a once in a lifetime experience. Congratulations to Paris and the audiovisual companies involved with the Olympic Games. A job well done!   Sources: PANASONIC GEARS UP TO PLAY A PIVOTAL ROLE SUPPORTING THE OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC GAMES PARIS 2024 | Devices | Products & Solutions | Press Release | Panasonic Newsroom Global Panasonic Signs Official Worldwide Olympic Partnership Agreement | Sponsorship & Events | Sponsorship & Events | Feature Story | Panasonic Newsroom Global *Panasonic is mentioned in this article as an example only. AVCT is an independent consulting firm and was not paid to promote this company. We do not play favorites; we specify what is best for our clients on a per project basis.