Universities today rely on audiovisual technology to deliver engaging lectures, often with support from large displays, audio systems, and other tools. In this post, we’ll show you how universities utilize these solutions while maintaining accessibility.
Presentation Systems
Conference rooms and lecture halls are effectively built to facilitate presentations, but this is only possible with robust displays, especially for large-scale lectures.
This can technically begin outside these rooms – with digital signage showing students and staff alike the room’s timetable. These can also show interactive maps in case somebody (such as a new student) has trouble finding the correct hall.
As for the rooms themselves, these could use video walls to create a large screen for potentially over 100 people to see. If you use an LED display, the screens will have no bezel gaps and high brightness, making them easily legible from anywhere in the room.
Conference rooms, meanwhile, might prefer a single large flat panel display that doesn’t require any complex video wall or projector management.
Audio Systems (Beyond a Lapel Mic)
Lecturers and speakers should all have a mic that will project their voice across the room. Lapel mics are especially common – though conference rooms might prefer ceiling array microphones that capture audio throughout the whole space. Lecture halls can also use ceiling arrays to help students ask questions.
Beamforming microphones are also quickly growing in popularity; these use DSP (digital signal processing) to focus on speakers and eliminate background noise. Many ceiling arrays already use beamforming, which also makes them ideal for hybrid meetings where people join virtually.
Centralized Control Systems
Universities often implement control platforms to simplify lectures and presentations. These can quickly switch between different presets to fit different purposes, such as an instant presentation mode that automatically adjusts light, display, and sound settings.
This means lecturers can start presentations with the press of a button once everyone’s arrived, as can anyone leading a smaller meeting. If the lecture or meeting is for a hybrid cohort, or you just want people to be able to easily refer back to it, some control systems automatically begin recording once the presentation begins.
On the topic of control systems, you and your team will need an easy way to manage inputs and outputs. Luckily, a matrix switcher offers seamless signal switching. You can then, for example, route your PC to the room’s main projector, keep notes on a confidence monitor, and connect a document camera to additional side screens.
Recording Platforms
Even if you don’t employ a control system that automatically records presentations, it’s always a good idea to look into lecture capture programs. These could capture multiple sources at once – especially useful if your presentation is more than a set of slides – and auto-publish the videos to online learning platforms, such as Canvas.
Some platforms offer extra accessibility features, such as live captions. These are getting better and more accurate by the year, and crisp microphones will help these automated systems parse your words better. While less common, some programs even let you generate an avatar that will provide real-time sign language.
Case Study: LUMSA University
LUMSA University’s Rome and Palermo campuses have both embraced AV technology to boost presentations.
The Palermo site has equipped its lecture theatres for hybrid learning and transformed the Aula Magna hall into a grand meeting space. This includes:
- Auto-tracking PTZ cameras
- Translation systems
- Videoconferencing integration
- Wireless microphones
- Real-time matrix switching
The university’s Rome sites have also enjoyed a renewed conference room, with 4K video and a multimedia speaker’s podium. A dedicated control room also makes it easy for staff to adjust the space’s AV equipment. Multiple translation booths also add to the university’s hope of becoming an international conference center.
The setup is facilitated by matrix switchers, which in this instance include laptops, PTZ cameras, control room PCs, and more, with the capacity to simultaneously record up to six video sources.
AV technology could help your university become an innovative and collaborative space. Follow LUMSA’s example, and you’ll be able to amaze students and even international visitors.
