Identical CAL systems at ETH Zurich and the University of Basel apply advanced beam steering technology to custom tailor uniform coverage of two differently shaped lecture halls, greatly improving students' intelligibility of instructors' voices.
"Thanks to the vertical steering capability of CAL, we were able to precisely direct the beam angles to the seating areas in each room," explains Nicolin Salis, executive project manager for Thalwil, Switzerland-based consultant RGBP, which specified the two systems. "The beam-steering technology of CAL gave us astounding results. This was despite the fact that the mechanical mounting positions in each room were not optimal and prevented us from placing the loudspeakers at the preferred angle."
The ETH Zurich lecture hall, located in the environmentally sustainable LEE Building, has all seating set in a semi-circle on a flat floor plane. Here, the downward tilt and beam spread of two CAL loudspeakers are precisely calibrated to cover the seating without exciting the surrounding hardwood walls or the reflective ceiling surfaces.
In contrast, at the University of Basel lecture hall, seating is arranged on three sides at steeply raked angles. For this application, a broader vertical beam with an upward tilt is applied to two CAL loudspeakers to ensure clear and seamless coverage throughout the room.
The RGBP contract also encompassed control and video systems, including AMX touch panel controls in both lecture halls and four Sony video projectors with 7,000 Lumens at the University of Basel installation.
(Jim Evans)
