More than 115 Sennheiser TCC 2 ceiling array microphones have been deployed in 50 classrooms and various other spaces at Duke Kunshan University in the Jiangsu province of China.
This audio-video project is part of the university’s second phase, covering 22 buildings on campus, including 29 classrooms, 20 conference rooms, and a visitor center, and is characterized by large-scale, advanced technology. The university offers courses taught by faculty from Duke University in the U.S. as well as other locations around the world, and as a result, each classroom needs to provide an online learning experience as if it were face-to-face.
The TCC 2 utilizes Sennheiser’s patented Dynamic Beamforming technology, which is designed to automatically track the position of speakers, and changes between speakers, in real time, ensuring that their voices are clearly captured. Teachers are able to move around and communicate with students while teaching, and the layout of desks and chairs in the classroom can be adjusted to enhance the classroom experience. The microphone’s built-in 28 microphone heads held deliver clear sound.
In this project, the TCC 2 microphones integrate Biamp DSP and Sony PTZ camera tracking to synchronize the monitored speaker’s position to the camera, thus realizing real-time switching of the speaker’s footage, designed to make meetings more realistic and efficient.
The phase II project took three years to design and deploy and complete. AV components also include Biamp DSP, Bose loudspeakers and Crestron control systems. Wan Li, chief engineer and the university’s technical lead for the audio system design, led a team that adopted an all-digital and distributed AV-over-IP architecture. The TCC 2 can be integrated into the campus network with all brands of audio equipment via Dante, allowing IT managers to monitor and control the communication, interaction and control of various devices on campus in real time via cell phones, tablets or computers.
During the implementation of the project, Sennheiser’s technical engineers traveled to the university several times to carry out on-site investigation and debugging work room by room to ensure that the installation position and angle of each TCC 2 could achieve optimal performance.
“The exceptional quality of the TCC 2 is unquestionable, and the Sennheiser team has been instrumental in the smooth implementation of the project. They provided full technical and training support and helped us make great progress in commissioning and optimizing the system,” says Wan Li. “In the school’s future development plan, we look forward to continuing to work with Sennheiser to further optimize the performance of the audio/video facilities and continue to enhance the immersive learning and collaborative experience for teachers and students.”
