Today’s workspaces demand technology that can remain intuitive, and non-invasive in many situations. That’s why the best AV designs are often the one’s where the end-user forgets that the technology is even there.

VisionPoint has a diverse array of clients, all with very different needs; but non-invasive solutions are often a requirement. When it comes to Law firms, videoconferencing technology must be as simple as possible, but that’s not always easy. Not to mention, technology must look good in a boardroom, complementing the fit, finish, and interior design.

Another client of ours is a private school, and they expect their technology to support various functions of their spaces, while staying out of the way. Especially since students will be using the technology to present to their classmates, it must remain intuitive. 

Ceiling Mics

One powerful piece of engineering is the Ceiling Array Microphone. Several manufacturers like Shure, Yamaha and Sennheiser produce their own version; but there are certain characteristics that make them one of the most effective solutions available.

The majority of the Ceiling Arrays on the market are designed to fit into standard false ceilings, making it ideal as a non-invasive solution. No longer does a conference room need microphones all over the place, risking improper use, and taking up valuable table space.

Remote Control

Integrators such as VisionPoint, can easily control various aspects of Ceiling Array such as EQ, software updates, and even changing the lobes to create custom coverage depending on the situation.

The gain for each lobe can also be increased and decreased remotely just incase a speaker is too soft, or too loud.

EQ can also be adjusted to maximize speech intelligibility using a standard parametric EQ.

Auto-Mixing Technology

Most Ceiling Arrays on the market come with Auto-Mixing technology. Auto-Mixing activates, and deactivates each lobe whenever speech is detected. This can help keep the audio clear on the receiving end of a video or audio call.

Video Bars

For smaller spaces such as huddle rooms, video bars provide an all-in-one solution that can be mounted below a display. Video Bar help keep things tidy, but flexible, fitted with a PTZ camera (Pan, Tilt, Zoom), microphone, and speaker.

Although not as non-invasive as the ceiling array, it’s ineffective in large spaces because speech intelligibility will suffer greatly, as it cannot pickup, or replicate audio from a large distance; especially when there are more than 5 users. Because of this, video bars are best used for smaller groups of people, in smaller spaces.

Since smaller spaces can get crowded, leaving less room for personal devices, notebooks and other materials, the video bar helps keep the table clear, allowing the users to have an effective meeting without technology getting in their way.

BYOD Solutions

BYOD or Bring Your Own Device solutions are another way to help keep the conference room cluttered. Paired with retractable cable boxes, keeping the room free of clutter can be important for certain spaces.

The ability for an employee to bring a personal device such as a laptop, or a tablet is not only easy to use, but it removes the need for a dedicated PC. Now employees don’t need to login, upload files, or bother IT when the computer isn’t working properly.

Many BYOD solutions can be setup to automatically route the feed to the display using either an HDMI or USB-C cable. Wireless presentations are also convenient for larger spaces with solutions such as the BARCO puck. Very easy to use. A user can simply plug in the BARCO puck using a USB-C connection on their laptop, hit the button on the puck to share content directly to the display.

Conclusion

In the world of AV, non-invasive technology has become a necessity. Users are getting used to all-in-one devices, employees don’t want to spend time fiddling with technology, and solutions that get in the way of their work. Clients and business partners expect to meet in spaces that are neat and tidy.

Luckily, there are plenty of solutions on the market that are customizable for any space. VisionPoint has been seeing the demand for non-invasive technology increase more than ever, and it makes sense. Especially since we can help control various features of this technology for our clients remotely, without even stepping foot onsite.