The Institute of Physics (IOP) is a place where physicists come together to share their knowledge, solve problems, and drive themselves and the subject of physics forward. The institute’s recent move to a new facility in King’s Cross, London marked an important chapter in the history of the IOP as the new location aims to “transform the way the IOP works and how it supports the physics community,” according to the institute’s website.
An important part of this plan is the new building’s basement auditorium and exhibition gallery, which are both open to members and now prominently feature solutions from ClearOne.
Paul Marshall, senior technology consultant at Recursive Technology Consultants, designed and specified ClearOne’s WS800 Wireless Microphone System in the basement auditorium, council chamber, and divisible meeting spaces, along with 12 ClearOne Unite 200 PTZ cameras across various meeting rooms in the new facility—all of which will play a role in the institute’s future training programs, presentations, and conferences. They were chosen specifically because their encryption, which protects the networks in the crowded RF (radio frequency) area near King’s Cross station.
“The institute wanted to be able to record, present to the audience, and stream these training sessions and presentations for future use so audio quality was a huge factor,” Marshall said. “The system needed to be able to clearly capture all the audio and make sure it was encrypted to avoid interference from surrounding facilities like the King’s Cross railway station right next door.”
ClearOne’s WS800 is a full-featured wireless microphone system with Dante technology, offering a scalable solution with multiple options for microphones, redundancy, and connectivity. The security issue Marshall referred to is addressed with the highest level of encryption, and a range of transmitters are available to suit every application.
Marshall also specified the Unite 200 PTZ cameras in the third-floor conference room, citing their versatility as a key element.
“There is going to be a wide mix of users for this system,” Marshall said. ”Some users who might prefer that sort of white-glove conference service, where everything is set up for them, is done via the resident PC’s in room, and other users who would rather plug in their laptop and use their own soft codec for conferencing by simply plugging in, the camera automatically switches to the users laptop. The Unite 200s were a great solution here due to their flexibility that includes USB, HDMI, and IP connections.”
The Unite 200 cameras also feature full HD video quality with 1080p, 60FPS, 12x optical zoom for close-up views, and a 73-degree wide-angle view to capture all participants across the entire conference room.
The third-floor conference and council rooms will also handle overflow when the auditorium reaches capacity and Marshall explained that the Unite 200 solutions will work as broadcast-style cameras located at a high level, enabling post-conference Q&A sessions back-and-forth between the two spaces. “This provides a complete view of the audience in that room for those in the auditorium,” Marshall added.
The auditorium features an 11-meter-wide projection screen and opens up into a three-story-high atrium that is used as an art gallery for exhibits and events.
