INTRODUCTION

Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) is a private, non-profit university offering bachelor’s and master’s degrees in engineering, business, and nursing. Dedicated to unriddling the impossible and reinventing the way things are done, MSOE students and faculty have worked together to create an impact far beyond the city of Milwaukee and the shores of Lake Michigan.

THE CHALLENGE

MSOE recently built a new academic building, the Dwight and Dian Diercks Computational Science Hall. It consists of four floors of laboratories, classrooms, meeting rooms, student collaboration rooms, and a large auditorium. Positioned at the forefront of artificial intelligence, deep learning, cyber security, robotics, cloud computing, and other next-generation technologies, it was critical for the university to deploy an advanced AV distribution solution that would provide students with a next-level academic experience, plus provide the scalability, functionality, and consistency to meet its demanding requirements.

THE SOLUTION

Working with AV consultant Automation Arts, the MSOE Information Technology Department decided to standardize on Crestron’s awardwinning DM NVX® AV-over-IP technology throughout Diercks Hall.

THE TECHNOLOGY

Simplicity and consistency are what MSOE students and faculty value most. Therefore, it was critical to the IT department to deliver an AV and room control solution that would minimize the time and effort it takes to get a classroom up and running and, thereby, maximize learning time. In just two weeks’ time, Automation Arts completed the installation, configuration, and testing of the DM NVX, room scheduling, and room control technology throughout Diercks Hall. DM NVX delivers flawless 4K video in all classrooms and the auditorium over the school’s existing 1Gb network. The DM NVX Director™ virtual switching appliance provides the IT staff with an intuitive web-based interface and simple management system for system configuration and signal routing. Using TSW touch screens on the lecterns, professors enjoy complete one-touch control of everything in the classrooms, from audio and video, to lighting and temperature. “This quick start approach to the classroom and the intuitive user interface on the Crestron touch screens has been very well received by the MSOE faculty and staff,” says Ron Moore, Vice President, Automation Arts Crestron room scheduling touch screens mounted just outside of meeting and collaboration rooms in Diercks Hall have made a huge impact on productivity at the university. In addition to reserving spaces online, staff and students are able to walk up to a room, view the day’s schedule, and reserve it on the spot via the touch screen. Crestron room scheduling has helped MSOE optimize use of these spaces and locate available rooms easier than ever before.

RESULTS

With the help of Crestron AV-over-IP, room control, and room scheduling solutions, MSOE is able to deliver on its commitment to provide students with a next-level technology and learning experience.