Draxxon Designs Mobile Command Centers Outfitted with Yamaha CS-700 Video Sound Bar to Provide Quick, Clear, and Safe Communications at COVID-19 Testing Sites and Other Mission-Critical Events
Relaying information effectively and efficiently relies on being in the center of the action. In fact, many events and services today, such as sports and utility monitoring and maintenance, require on-site surveillance to quickly respond. For Draxxon, a leading mobile command center equipment manufacturer, sharing information means communications that can be taken on the road. Draxxon’s mobile command centers and stations are designed to deliver a greater amount of situational awareness. Most recently, the company built out its DX-1000 Command Centers as an Advanced Virology Testing Platform (AVTP) to meet the growing need for mobile centers at COVID-19 testing sites. The company looked at how they could enhance its AV design configuration to further enable effective communications between personnel while adhering to social distance best practices. Finding a solution that fit such a tall order wasn’t simple.
Draxxon needed a system that was not only intuitive to operate but also was a compact all-in-one device capable of capturing and delivering clear communication on site and over loud background noise, including the van’s AC unit and outside sounds. In their research, the company discovered the Yamaha CS-700 Video Sound Bar™. Although the CS-700 fit Draxxon’s specification on paper, it would need to pass the company’s rigorous testing to meet its high standards.
“As part of the process for designing our vehicles, we look for reputable systems with simple, one-button operation,” said Tyler Ackerman, Draxxon’s director of business development. “We do a lot of research and development to determine what technology — from the matrix switch, to displays, even down to the cables — works best in this environment.”
“The CS-700 fit this objective perfectly,” continued Ackerman. “It delivers great audio and video quality in an all-in-one design that eliminates the configuration and operation of separate microphones, speakers, and webcams.”
The video sound bar features an adaptive beamforming microphone array for perfectly captured conversation, even when the vehicle is on and the air conditioning unit is running. Four Yamaha speaker elements provide the highest degree of audio intelligibility and a wide-angle HD camera allows personnel to see each other — even those working 6 feet apart outside the vehicle.
The AVTP features two CS-700 devices; one is installed inside the vehicle, and a second unit is integrated into the vehicle’s rear DX-Outdoor Work Station, which provides medical personnel interacting with the public the same access to information and relevant data provided to personnel working inside. As a result, personnel are able to maintain safe, real-time communication and rapid response that’s critical for testing.
Each of the three indoor workstations are equipped with dual 32-inch Samsung monitors, which are fed from an eight-source input HDMI matrix. The onboard controller allows users to configure and send any source signal to any screen, including the Draxxon Live-Streaming System and the CS-700 video conferencing feed. At a touch of a button, users can call back to the main base of operations or communicate with anyone working outside.
With the comprehensive conferencing system, the AVTP multipurpose vehicle can be deployed to the middle of any COVID-19 outbreak or event. Agencies can send healthcare officials to investigate, communicate, and mitigate the problem in the most efficient, safe, and secure environment possible. Once on-site, sample collection and rapid testing can begin within minutes. Personnel working at COVID-19 testing sites are able to effectively work together in real-time, maintain safe social distancing, and respond swiftly.
While the CS-700 is a great solution for the AVTP, it also met the communication for customer’s using the DX-1000 in other markets. Emergency responders at an energy company, for example, can use the system to communicate with corporate headquarters or other team members on the scene. Other applications include public safety and law enforcement, where team members outside the van can use their phones to communicate with those inside the van. For event security, teams can communicate and share that information to teams active around the event center.
“The CS-700 has a use case across all of the markets that we sell in because communicating with ease and in the highest possible quality is a key tool for sharing information — which is at the heart of everything we do,” said Ackerman.
The new DX-1000 AVTP and other DX-1000 models are outfitted with the CS-700 to fulfill mission-critical demands anywhere and for any application.
