NRD integrates state-of-the-art audio technology for its perfect integration and magnificent sound.

The Rey Juan Carlos University was founded by the government in 1996 in the Community of Madrid (Spain). The university has 400 teaching spaces divided into five campuses in Madrid, Fuenlabrada, Móstoles, Aranjuez, and Vicálvaro, with more than 49,000 undergraduate, master's, and doctoral students enrolled annually.

In July 2020, the university launched a four-year plan for digital transformation to adapt the teaching spaces to the requirements of 21st-century education.

Although the university was created to serve the citizens of the Community of Madrid, it is now committed to all Spaniards and citizens of the European Union. The Rey Juan Carlos University is part of the International University Consortium, EULIST, with eight other European universities.

The university has received the prestigious @aslan Digital Transformation Award in the Public Administration category for "Digital Transformation in Education."

NRD, the chosen integration company for this project, has used Xilica/Sennheiser sound equipment.

Challenge

The client aimed to provide its classrooms with a high-quality audiovisual solution for in-person, hybrid, or remote classes. For the university, having a high-quality audio and video system that is easy to operate for individuals without audiovisual knowledge was essential.

Acoustic adjustment in each space to achieve the maximum audio quality was crucial. The system integrator, NRD, designed a simple user interface, very easy to understand and use for individuals unaccustomed to operating such equipment.

Solution

NRD, responsible for the audiovisual renovation of 100 classrooms across the five campuses, selected top-tier brands to supply equipment and professional technical support and after-sales service.

The digital transformation solution involved capturing audio and video in each classroom, as well as recording and streaming distribution when necessary.

The most significant challenge NRD faced was adapting the microphones, as each space is unique. All classrooms are different and have varying layouts. The integrators had to tailor the microphones to each specific classroom.

Xilica and Sennheiser equipment were the core of the audio solution due to their seamless integration and magnificent sound.

Sennheiser's TCC2 ceiling microphone captures high-quality sound from any point in the classroom, covering the entire room's surface. At the same time, Xilica's Solaro QR1 digital sound processors (DSPs) provide clear and intelligible sound without disruptive noise such as feedback, echoes, etc. The open-architecture Solaro QR1 processor was a strong point for NRD, as it allows for customized configuration with the appropriate cards based on the needs of each installation. Additionally, it is powered via PoE and integrated into a Dante audio network.

NRD configured each DSP with Xilica's Solaro XC-SML (two-channel analog audio input card), XC-SLO (two-channel analog audio output card), and Solaro XC-SUB (2x2 USB audio card - send/receive).

According to the university's requirements, each classroom also had a Sennheiser MEG14-40 B, a 40 cm gooseneck microphone with a flexible section mounted on an MZS31, and a fixed installation shock-absorbing elastic support.

Impact

This digital transformation at Rey Juan Carlos University has created multifunctional and user-friendly teaching spaces. That is, it allows any teacher or student entering the classrooms to connect to the equipment or perform specific actions without the intervention of technical personnel.

Teachers and students can move freely within the space as Sennheiser's ceiling microphones automatically track their voices.

The Solaro technology, now available in all classrooms, will provide realistic and natural audio with echo cancellation, enabling self-recording, content generation, digitization, and streaming of classes with a noise-free experience.

Everyone, whether in person or remote, or perhaps listening to a recorded class later on, will hear clearly, no matter where they are.

The bidirectional audio functionality will allow remote students to collaborate or ask questions through the Microsoft Teams web platform as if they were on-site, unifying communication and turning it into a great experience.

Additionally, from now on, any teacher with voice or throat issues, or perhaps a low voice tone, can teach with the support of Sennheiser's gooseneck microphone placed on the teacher's desk.

Rey Juan Carlos University has also implemented digitalization of the whiteboard, automation of recordings, high connectivity of external equipment, intelligent lighting, electrification of classrooms, and removal of architectural barriers, among other improvements.

We are very satisfied with the integration of Xilica and Sennheiser equipment in this project as they have more than met the client's requirements. It facilitated our installation due to its quality and simplicity, as well as all the technical support provided by Magnetrón, the supplier of these two brands. The university authorities are delighted with the results as it allows both in-person and remote students to follow the classes with clear sound, concludes Lluís Torroella, from the Engineering Department of NRD Spain.