A world-class university based in Uxbridge, Brunel is nearing completion of a £250 million campus redevelopment programme. A list of impressive state-of-the-art new learning facilities include a new health science and social care building, an extended library building, more computer workstations and an assistive technology centre for disabled students. 
As part of the project, the Brunel Audio Visual Services team of seven, led by Sheila Egan, has integrated Crestron’s Roomview Server Edition for facility-wide and remote management of all a-v technology systems at the university. This includes TeamMate lecterns complete with a Crestron touchpanel in many teaching and conference rooms.
Sheila Egan, AV Services points out the benefits the Crestron technology has delivered to Brunel: “This system has harnessed the potential created by the convergence of AV and IT. All the a-v products are controlled via the central server to simplify management and monitoring of facilities to increase efficiency. For example, using Roomview from your desktop it is possible to take control of the room (or multiple rooms) as if you were standing in the room.”
Working with the Brunel University AV Management team, system integrators, AVM, developed a solution that is sophisticated enough to provide the first-class learning environment of a 21st Century university yet has ease-of-use for built in. Security has also been considered and rooms require the user to key in an access code on the touchpanel before use, preventing unauthorised users from operating the system.
Roomview provides diagnostics, scheduling and equipment status in the individual rooms throughout the entire Brunel complex, a real benefit as Sheila Egan highlights: “My team can provide remote diagnostics and service to all users which save stime and labour by allowing them to operate the systems remotely from their desktop. There are also maintenance benefits as we are able to anticipate a potential problem (ie, a lamp needing replacement) before it manifests itself to the user.”
The Brunel AV team can view the power status of any equipment on the network, as well turn the power off or on in any room and schedule room power on/off for individual rooms – such as at the end of the day. Using authorised access, the rooms can be checked to see whether the projectors are on or off, monitor lamp life usage and input source. An alarm is triggered if a projector is stolen, and help messages can be relayed if lecturers require assistance. If a lecturer gets really stuck, remote operation of any room’s equipment is possible. Also a specific requirement of the Brunel Audio Visual Services team was the ability to enable or disable the auxiliary inputs on the custom patch panel remotely. In this way, users have to seek approval before using, for instance, a microphone or s-video device. Once the user has been approved, the AV team can log-in to Roomview and unlock that input for use from the touchpanel in the room.
The TeamMate tutors and trainers have also been included as part of a refurbishment programme. Installed in the central lecturing block at the Uxbridge site in 34 rooms, each TeamMate uses a custom housing to accommodate a 6” Crestron TPS3100L touch panel, Cisco IP phone and bespoke patch input plate. Brunel selected TeamMate as the lectern of choice for a number of reasons including modern looks, security of equipment, ease of service, and familiarity of use by teaching staff. An installation at the University Westminster inspired Brunel to secure TeamMate lecterns for this refurbishment.