Furniture Integration

Furniture and the turnkey multimedia system

Furniture is such an important part of the typical presentation, video conferencing or command/control environment today.

While there are hundreds of factors that one should consider, several will be addressed herein.

• The furniture types.
• The technology that is integrated into furniture of different types.

Furniture Types

Lecterns
"Smart Lecterns" as they are often dubbed contain anything from a microphone and simple control panel all the way up to and including the majority of the AV system. General Projection has built systems around every conceivable type of lectern.

Click here for Vansan standard veneer colors (note all types of wood, laminate and veneers are available, just check with us.

Teaching Stations
In "smart classroom" and distance learning applications, these lecterns are more like large teaching stations. Examples of projects that have included such stations include T. Rowe Price and the National Defense University.

Work Stations
Many applications require that students or participants in events, meetings, command centers and other applications have a variety of technology at their finger tips. We have designed hundreds of facilities where work stations were required to support the function of the facility. The project at T. Rowe Price includes a variety of workstations while a recent project we did for the headquarters of the Green Berets include numerous command center workstations built for us by Nova.

Conference Tables
Large conference facilities require tables that are designed not just to support the physical meeting aspects of the attendees but also the technology they require to accomplish their mission.

General Projection specializes in designing tables that will support the function of the facility.

Example of both a custom lectern design and large, reconfigurable table with technology integrated into both.

Video conferencing often adds an interesting element to such a design since most often you will want the majority of participants to be "oriented" in a certain direction. Further, a table must support the briefing or presentation function if the presenter will be in a stationary position. The ergonomics and human factors of such designs are taken into account during our engineering process.

Trapezoidal table designs are often necessary to ensure that each video conference participant is seen by the camera (the large end of the table is normally oriented toward the camera and display).

Technology Integrated into Furniture

Technology is regularly integrated into furniture supporting such systems today.

Microphones
Conference and board room tables generally have microphones either mounted on top or "hidden" within the table. These microphones are used for archive audio, the audio portion of conferencing systems and voice reinforcement to areas of a room or facility that would have difficulty hearing what is being said without electronic amplification.

Computer Connections
Two types of computer connections are regularly integrated into furniture: network connections and AV system interfaces. The network connection allows a participant to plug their computer or notebook into the organizations network for file retrieval and other network based activities. The AV system interface allows a user to present their data on the display system (projector, video wall, plasma display, etc.).

Now, creative "pop up" boxes are available in a variety of sizes and styles and with an endless selection of connection types. The most typical includes one or two standard 120v power outlets, network connection and an AV interface to allow presentation selection from the notebook or other device connected to the pop up box. When not in use, these services can be hidden away by a simple press on the top of the box.

System Controls
Today's AV system is generally too complex to run without an automated control system. The "technology-enhanced furniture" will always contain connections or a built in capability to exert this control.

Some Project Examples with Custom Furniture

National Defense University - smart carts.

T. Rowe Price - teaching workstations.

MetLife - board room table with hidden microphones.

Night Vision Labs - customized control room.

City of Orlando - custom dais with monitors, controls and audio.

For more information on furniture for multimedia design and integration or other multimedia communications system design issue, please fill out our Information Request form or email us at Solutions@genproj.com