Global Learning Studios Feature IntelliSHOT
Community College uses Vaddio IntelliSHOT in Global Learning Studios
Challenge
The State University of New York Adirondack (SUNY) Adirondack is a community college in upstate New York serving nearly 6,000 students in its degree, certificate and short-term training opportunities. Demand for online classes is high, with more than 25% of students enrolled in at least one online course. With the SUNY Plattsburgh branch campus and global education offerings in Doha, Qatar, the college needed a solution to bring educators and learners together virtually.
SUNY Adirondack has used a single larger studio on campus for the past two years but needed more of these spaces as demand for virtual, remote and global learning increased.
The staff at SUNY Adirondack was familiar with the setup in the large studio but needed something that offered hands-free tracking without the need for dedicated camera operators. In addition, the new rooms were subject to a tighter budget.
SUNY Adirondack has used a single larger studio on campus for the past two years but needed more of these spaces as demand for virtual, remote and global learning increased.
The staff at SUNY Adirondack was familiar with the setup in the large studio but needed something that offered hands-free tracking without the need for dedicated camera operators. In addition, the new rooms were subject to a tighter budget.
Solution
“We had to be a little more creative in regard to meeting their needs while staying within a much more confined budget compared to the previous room,” said Dave Clough, Vice President of Ray Audio Video based in Glens Falls, New York. “We needed to provide a robust experience for faculty and students while shrinking down the specifications and equipment options in order to cut the budget.”
SUNY Adirondack needed a flexible solution to use in multiple spaces. The classroom used for Plattsburgh online was a more extensive, traditional classroom with a lectern and projector screens in the front of the room and seating for 30 students. The Global Learning Studios were converted from offices just large enough for the instructor to move around between a standing desk and whiteboard.
The team at Ray Audio Video was first introduced to the IntelliSHOT through an online demonstration with their Vaddio representative Steve Joyce.
SUNY Adirondack needed a flexible solution to use in multiple spaces. The classroom used for Plattsburgh online was a more extensive, traditional classroom with a lectern and projector screens in the front of the room and seating for 30 students. The Global Learning Studios were converted from offices just large enough for the instructor to move around between a standing desk and whiteboard.
The team at Ray Audio Video was first introduced to the IntelliSHOT through an online demonstration with their Vaddio representative Steve Joyce.
“A group of people from Ray Audio Video and the two colleges were part of the online demo, and essentially both came away quite impressed with what they saw,” said Clough. “One of the things that sold the customer was hearing from the Vaddio support team, who told us they only envisioned the product getting better as they moved forward. That left us with a warm, fuzzy feeling.”
The most critical factors for SUNY Adirondack were video quality, tracking abilities, and ease of use. They previously looked into the Vaddio RoboTRAK system for the larger Plattsburgh online room. Many universities choose RoboTRAK for its super-wide pan range and the option to pair with a PTZ camera with 40x zoom. The Plattsburgh online room did not require such a large tracking area and did not need more than a 30x zoom. After seeing the IntelliSHOT demo, the team was surprised by the video quality, the lanyard-less tracking, and the cost savings. It was the ideal choice because it met their tracking needs and budget.
SUNY Adirondack opted for an IntelliSHOT in each of the four smaller Global Learning Studios. Choosing the same product for multiple rooms created a consistent experience for the students participating remotely and made it easier for instructors to use. The professional image quality of the camera resulted in crisp detail and production quality recordings for regular classes.
The most critical factors for SUNY Adirondack were video quality, tracking abilities, and ease of use. They previously looked into the Vaddio RoboTRAK system for the larger Plattsburgh online room. Many universities choose RoboTRAK for its super-wide pan range and the option to pair with a PTZ camera with 40x zoom. The Plattsburgh online room did not require such a large tracking area and did not need more than a 30x zoom. After seeing the IntelliSHOT demo, the team was surprised by the video quality, the lanyard-less tracking, and the cost savings. It was the ideal choice because it met their tracking needs and budget.
SUNY Adirondack opted for an IntelliSHOT in each of the four smaller Global Learning Studios. Choosing the same product for multiple rooms created a consistent experience for the students participating remotely and made it easier for instructors to use. The professional image quality of the camera resulted in crisp detail and production quality recordings for regular classes.
Results
The installation was completed on time, before the new school year. Dave raved, “The physical installation of the IntelliSHOT camera was straightforward. Very well designed from an integrator’s perspective.” Using the included wall mounts and hardware saved time and made specifying the project more manageable. The built-in audio I/O made connecting with in-room audio systems a breeze.
Because the auto-tracking settings are adjusted via the web interface, it could be fine-tuned remotely by installers or support staff. “The customer came to us and felt that the camera was tracking a little slower than they would like,” said Clough. His team was able to bump up the tracking speed and even mask off areas in the room where they did not want motion tracked, like the flat panel display. This ability to adjust tracking settings allowed them to create a custom experience that the instructors were happy with. “For the camera to track left and right as the instructor moves across the room, the experience has been better than even we had initially thought.”
The smaller Global Learning Studios have been well received by instructors who find them easy to use and more engaging for learners than a webcam. The project at SUNY Adirondack was such a success that other colleges are now considering the IntelliSHOT. “SUNY Plattsburgh actually ended up ordering ten IntelliSHOTs to replace some older PTZ cameras. They were impressed enough to invest in ten additional cameras after just a couple of months,” said Clough.
Because the auto-tracking settings are adjusted via the web interface, it could be fine-tuned remotely by installers or support staff. “The customer came to us and felt that the camera was tracking a little slower than they would like,” said Clough. His team was able to bump up the tracking speed and even mask off areas in the room where they did not want motion tracked, like the flat panel display. This ability to adjust tracking settings allowed them to create a custom experience that the instructors were happy with. “For the camera to track left and right as the instructor moves across the room, the experience has been better than even we had initially thought.”
The smaller Global Learning Studios have been well received by instructors who find them easy to use and more engaging for learners than a webcam. The project at SUNY Adirondack was such a success that other colleges are now considering the IntelliSHOT. “SUNY Plattsburgh actually ended up ordering ten IntelliSHOTs to replace some older PTZ cameras. They were impressed enough to invest in ten additional cameras after just a couple of months,” said Clough.
