Motorized interactive monitors, microphones and loudspeakers guarantee the best decision making in the Chamber of Representatives in Colombia

Needless to say, the pandemic’s outbreak in 2020 dramatically accelerated the use of hybrid technology, which proved to be crucial to avoid the legislation system’s paralysis during lockdown. And this is what the Chamber of Representatives had in mind when decided to renovate this room in 2022.The challenge was to design motorized retractable touch monitors including  retractable microphones, discussion system, biometric identification, voting, documents sharing, and loudspeakers to create a hybrid paperless environment for debate and voting.

The Colombian system integrator Matizzo was in charge of listening, understanding and providing a perfect taylor made solution to reply to the end users’ needs.

This is  a  perfect example of how the cooperation between different companies (Arthur Holm, Crestron and Televic) has helped to create a sustainable, secure and  easy to use room to help the decision-making; a highly complex and sensitive process for institutions. 

Using advanced information technology within the chambers and meeting rooms enables politicians to access a much wider range of information sources and communication tools while performing their duties. For example, mobile devices and network access in the chambers and committee rooms facilitates continuous communication; and the installation of security bio‐ metrics in conjunction with a legislature‐wide wireless network would enable parliamentarians to take advantage of all their modern tools anywhere within the legislature. In such big spaces there are key factors to be considered; from the power consumption, the life’stime of the equipment, to the ease of service and installation and of course, the safety and the necessary functionalities.

There might be the need to hold multi‐cultural events, to vote, to have biometrical readers or face recognition systems, different user interfaces,multimedia capabilities, microphones and,of course, to optimise the space.

Arthur Holm has been involved in the design of tailor made solutions to fit already existing furniture and to include complex audio and video conference systems to their products; always bearing in mind the interior design and the architecture of each particular project. Totally unobtrusive, Arthur Holm’s technology can be customized to fit either historic or new halls, offering the perfect solution to match not only the technical requirements but also the interior layout.

Sustainability:

Reducing the environmental impact is extremely important to Arthur Holm . Energy saving, the use of non-polluting materials, sustainability in the production processes, ecodesign and recycling are  of paramount importance to us. Therefore, we carry out energy audits of our processes and facilities and periodically review our consumption and thermal insulation. As per the products, these are designed to optimise energy consumption and we pay special attention to the use of sustainable materials. Thus, Arthur Holm products are made of aluminium (100% recyclable, non-toxic and highly durable); they use glass (100% recyclable material that can be recycled infinitely and stainless steel (adaptable, resistant and ecologically sustainable). On the other hand, electronic boards are designed to comply with the RoHS directives (Restriction of Harazdous Substances) on the restriction of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment, adopted in June 2011 by the European Union. The packaging is made of recyclable materials and the company is a member of Ecotic (ECOTIC is a private organization of foundational nature, non-profit, whose constitution has been promoted by the main companies in the consumer electronics sector). Established on March 7, 2005, ECOTIC works in favor of the defense of the environment and sustainable development through the awareness and training of manufacturers, distributors and users of electrical and electronic equipment).

For the end user, the goal is to use “zero” paper and to have a sustainable debate chamber that provides the latest technology with a maximum level of security and efficiency.

The cooperation with other manufacturers:

We believe that the future belongs to a work culture that is based more so than ever before on cooperation, motivation and trust in the spirit of partnership. This is why we concentrate in what we know to do best, and we partnership with other leading companies, each one leader in their field. We integrated Televic audio conference technology in our DynamicX2Talk and a Crestron control and video distribution solution was used via our touch screens. The project was impecabily managed by the Colombian system integrator Matizzo, who coordinated the work of all manufacturers involved.

The technology:

Manufactured under a strict quality control, DynamicX2Talk  offers a long life span and unique and astonishing functionalities.

DynamicX2Talk is state-of-the-art reliable, retractable, individually addressable and remotely diagnosable monitor which also integrates an independent lift system for gooseneck type microphones The monitor is silent, fast and extremely elegant, with a modern and classic design made of mechanised and anodised aluminium. DynamicX2Talk monitor provides an automatic tilt by using only one engine with a smooth inclination of 20 degrees, leaving the screen in an optimal working position. Its static cover plate prevents dirt or objects from falling inside the mechanism and the lift system offers different speed levels depending on the screen position, resulting in a harmonious drive (thus avoiding abrupt movements).

The cover plate of the DynamicX2Talk retractable monitor integrates a mechanism to lift and retract gooseneck type microphones equipped with a patented LED ring that changes its colour from green to red to indicate the readiness of the speaker to talk. We customized the devices by adding a speaker, a touch screen, HDMI inputs and the logo of the institution engraved on the stainless steel table top cover plate.

Thanks to the use of Arthur Holm’s ERT devices, the control and service could not be easier. The ERT interfaces provide an easy and convenient system to control and diagnose motorized monitors, microphone lifts and other automated solutions by Arthur Holm helping to reduce the installation costs in terms of both equipments and time. They are to install and to set-up, they facilitate a quicker installation and eliminate the need of external relay boxes and extra power outlets. It is also possible to have Arthur Holm’s virtual support on site as long as there is an Internet connection available.

Furthermore, the AHlink App is also integrated in the ERT interfaces, providing an easy and direct access to the most common settings and making the start-up and future interventions hassle free. This means there is no need to access physically the unit to set-up or diagnose its installation.

Some figures

198 units delivered: DynamicX2Talk 15” touch

6 units delivered: DynamicX2Talk 17” touch

13 units: ERT-60

Installation

July/August 2022

System integrator

Matizzo

https://matizzo.com

End user 

Chamber of Representatives of Colombia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chamber_of_Representatives_of_Colombia

Quotes

Jennifer Arias (president of the Chamber): “The system facilitates the voting process, which is much more agile and faster, so we can make as many law projects as possible.”

John Abiud Ramírez (administrative director): “A voting that took 30 minutes before, it is now made in 2 minutes.”

Jorge Rodríguez (Matizzo): “The end user was looking for an easy, secure and intuitive solution.”

Manuel Peláez (Crestron Latin America): “This solution helps the government legislate with total transparency and allows to do it both locally and remotely.”

Conclusion

Arthur Holm’s solutions can help institutions to legislate efficiently and transparently. The use of motorized touch monitors, microphones and loudspeakers  allow Colombian politicians to attend sessions both presentially and remotely, promoting efficiency and cost effectiveness. Remote sessions require audio and video equipment that is reliable, providing maximum quality and security. Space also needs to be maximised, and goverments need to be flexible to accommodate a variable number of people. The goal is to use “zero” paper and to have a sustainable chamber that provides the latest technology with a maximum level of efficiency. 

One of the big advantages of using motorized monitors and microphones is that they provide total flexibility in situations where social distance measures are required between attendees. One, out of every two or three monitors and microphones can be made to appear, if necessary, and the rest can be left perfectly hidden and protected inside the furniture.

Also, having a monitor in front of the user increases concentration, as it reduces the feeling of isolation, and allows text and numerical data to be clearly displayed. The loudspeakers are also positioned close to the listener, so increases the clarity and acoustic quality of the room. Wall cameras also guarantee flawless image capture and the camera tracking captures the image of the person who is speaking. The success of this project is the result of the perfect cooperation between different companies, all of them specialized in different technologies: Arthur Holm (retractable monitors and motorized technology), Televic (audio conferencing) and Crestron (control and video distribution).

The result is a taylor made, exclusive product that replies perfectly t today’s needs of hybrid work, flexibility, safety, space optimisation and ease of use.