Don’t forget about summer training classes through CCS

SUMMER TRAINING TO SHARPEN EDUCATOR SKILLS

The main focus of providing audio visual training, especially over the summer, is to allow educators the time they simply do not have during the year to relax, have fun, and learn about the technologies they currently have in the classroom that they would like to know more about, use more efficiently or apply more directly to unique learning applications.

All of our trainings are very much hands-on and collaborative (teachers working together), and all participants will all walk-away with content they can use when they return to school in the fall.

Arizona – https://ccssouthwest.com/

California – https://ccsprojects.com/

New England – https://ccsnewengland.com/

Telemedicine – AV Technology In Healthcare

According to Medicare.gov, telemedicine (which may also be referred to as tele-health, e-health or virtual healthcare) “seeks to improve a patient’s health by permitting two-way, real time interactive communication between the patient, and the physician or practitioner at the distant site. This electronic communication means the use of interactive telecommunications equipment that includes, at a minimum, audio and video equipment.”

CCS Presentation Systems has been busy getting to know the varying technologies being applied to telemedicine, which are mainly long-trusted AV solutions that have been modified/adapted to best suit physicians and their staff in providing medical treatment. Some of these products include:

Telemedicine Stations/Carts

These mobile AV carts provide a hub for a secure, integrated telemedicine encounter, anywhere that visit takes place: in a medical clinic or hospital, at a remote site, at a patient’s home, in the workplace, school-based or correctional environment. Telemedicine devices such as a microphone, visual display, hearing impaired communication keyboard, and a computer with diagnosis software all have a role in these intricate carts.

The station version, which is usually stationary instead of a mobile cart, can be a wall mounted screen with multiple devices secured to and working interactively with it. This solution supports physicians in diagnosing symptoms and consulting patients remotely anywhere they may be, and is great for small spaces such as a remote physician’s home office.

Examination Cameras

Capturing high-quality live video and still imagery are essential components of an effective telemedicine program. Exam cameras are high definition, optical zoom compatible and some digital versions are capable of zooming in up to 120x the standard view. An adjustable arm that rotates makes it easy for the physician to see exactly what’s going on with the patient on a clear, high resolution display.

Optic Imagery/Opthalmoscope

Revolutionary ophthalmoscopes address the fundamental challenge in remote ophthalmoscopy – to get a good view of the entire eye and remotely share those images to make an assessment. The optics make it easy to enter non-dilated pupils with a 25-degree field of view that is 5X greater than a standard ophthalmascope. The camera attachment captures 8MP images up to 30 frames per second. The wider field of view allows a practitioner to more easily observe conditions such as hypertension, diabetic retinopathy and papilledema.

Bluetooth EEG devices

On a daily basis, thousands of patients in emergency departments and ICU’s suffer from conditions that indicate for an intermediate EEG: seizures, coma, and altered states of consciousness. Due to the complexity of the set-up, cost, and unavailability of expert readers only a small fraction will receive a timely EEG. Streaming data wirelessly, a Bluetooth headset seamlessly transmits the EEG data to any Windows™ based laptop or tablet PC eliminating cables and clutter from the patient care arena. EEG data is immediately available for review via the cloud and EEG reader is notified via text that a file is ready.

Streaming Stethoscopes

Streaming stethoscopes provide a very simple, software-based way to transmit heart, breath and bowel sounds in real time. The software can be used independently or in conjunction with videoconferencing to allow for versatility. This technology uses a chest piece on the transmitting side and high quality headphones on the receiving side. The receiving side will be able to connect the call and, once connected, adjust the frequency filter to ensure the correct range is being emphasized. The receiving side will also be able to record transmissions and can be used simultaneously with video for a more in-person interaction. It’s as easy as plugging in the chest piece and headphones into the computer, launching the software, selecting a site from a drop down menu, and clicking connect.

When you can’t assess a patient in person, digital medical devices can help you gather vitals, monitor progress, view ultrasounds, hear heart and lung sounds and capture images of skin, ears, eyes and other areas. Digital devices such as these take telemedicine a step further in that they easily enable more patient details to be saved in EMRs (electronic medical records).

There are hundreds more devices on the market to deliver safe and reliable telemedicine services, these devices were just a handful of the impressive options available. CCS Presentation Systems would work with a hospital, remote clinic or adult care facility to either integrate their current AV systems to their incoming telemedicine technology, or install the latest systems that would be compatible with the telemedicine types they plan to use in the near future.

Contact the CCS corporate office to schedule a project walk: jsolomon@ccsprojects.com

Didn’t Attend Infocomm This Year? Get The Major Highlights Here

The nation’s largest AV product and integrator conference was held June 4th-10th in Las Vegas, Nevada. InfoComm is the largest, most exciting event in the Western Hemisphere focused on the pro-AV industry, with more than 1,000 exhibitors, thousands of products, and nearly 40,000 attendees from 110+ countries. The InfoComm show is a once-a-year opportunity to see the latest audiovisual technology, learn skills that will advance your career, and grow your professional network.

CCS Presentation Systems had representatives from around the country attending the conference and everyone was able to take some unique experiences home to their teams, along with inspiration for new project types and new products to introduce to clients.

From the CCS Southwest office, Rod Andrewson, Manager of Technology and Quality Control and a seasoned Systems Engineer with over 30 years of experience in the professional AV field, gave some key conference takeaways below:

What were some of the newest AV innovations showcased at the conference?

  • I think there was a lot of interest in Dante-enabled products. QSC has enabled or opened video up on their proprietary QLan network and is now selling its own HD cameras
  • Vaddio’s Auto Trac system is very stable (I really did try to break it, no luck, worked perfectly)
  • Shure’s new Micro flex ceiling arrays are awesome and available
  • The Intel Unite software is very cool! Take a look
  • Bluescape Digital visual collaboration is a very exciting and thought provoking product for many vertical markets that need real-time or off-line collaboration solutions
  • Crestron’s Commercial DSP products are a very exciting opportunity to make the install easier and smoother
  • Crestron has done this product the right way. They brought in the right talent and listened to the right people to create a product that pulls in one piece of the Commercial AV pie and does it well
  • Wireless content display has finally matured to a healthy point. Mersive and their Solstice product is great. WePresent and Kramer’s Via products are also very full feature and reliable
  • PakEdge is the bomb for your networking needs. They have really tailored the products to suit the commercial and residential market, but even more importantly they are a total solution provider. The products support all of the packet technology I need covered, streaming video, packetized audio, control and plain old They have the product, incredible sales tools, training and great technical support.

Was there a solution you found at the conference that targeted a specific challenge currently in the AV industry?

  • Indoor LED displays were a big focus for me this year and I obviously found it on the show floor. The products have matured, the cost has come down, and they are giving flat panel video walls a run for their money
  • 5 – 2.5 LED displays are really good looking and reduce or eliminate the “crosshair” effect that so many folks just can’t let go of
  • NanoLumen grand opened an incredible showroom in Las Vegas right off the strip to allow customers to see their product up close, and with the content you want to see in a shoot type environment

From a specific LED display manufacturer point of view, all the big manufacturers have jumped on board the LED band wagon, either with their product or acquisitions. Leyard and Planar, NEC, Christie, Silicon Core, NanoLumens, Samsung and I know I am leaving several out. I really liked the Absen products and the partnership approach they have. Their products are well placed in the 2-4 mm range, they look great are easy to install and the company has priced the products right, they have stock on the shelves in the states and are easy to work with.

This is not a fad, LED displays are viable replacements for large displays in auditoriums, classrooms, house of worship and of course retail and corporate applications. So the time is now to jump on board.

What market sector do you think currently has the most demand for AV innovation?

  • I think there is a lot of room for Innovation in the Digital Signage market, Display technology, DSP and Collaboration technologies and tools. I also think that BYOD based audio distribution in facilities is poised to really make an impact.
  • Audio Everywhere, BroadcastVision, Listen, all have solutions that allow users to see and hear what that want or need to hear on their phone, tablet or PC. The markets are Retail and Hospitality, Education, Fitness, Medical, etc.
  • Probably the biggest opportunity in the commercial space right now is Video over IP solutions. SVSI has a big head start but there several others out there that offer whole suites of applications to bring an entirely different level of value to the table.

What was your favorite part of the conference overall?

My favorite part of InfoComm is usually the Exhibit Floor. This year that was really the case. I spent three days with wall to wall meetings all designed around specific needs and opportunities.

Contact Rod with any questions or to get in touch before the next show!
Rod Andrewson, CTS
Manager of Technology and Quality Control 
CCS Presentation Systems
17350 North Hartford Drive
Scottsdale, AZ 85255
(480)273-8238
randrewson@ccssouthwest.com

CCS Helped Make A Difference By Having Fun!

Remember the Dodge for Dreams Dodgeball for Charity event we had so much fun at? With the event proceeds the organization purchased a school bus in Maryland and shipped it to the kids at Village for Life in Ghana, Africa. Here’s a screenshot from the program director’s Facebook page with a photo of the bus and driver, how cool is that!

This means all the kids in the surrounding villages can attend school.

We are proud of Global Rescue Project for the time and effort they took in making a difference for children across the globe!