Kawasaki Kinkai Kisen Eliminates Background Noise with MXW and IntelliMix Room AI Denoiser

Customer Profile

Kawasaki Kinkai Kisen was founded in 1966 and provides marine transportation in Japan and to countries in Asian territorial waters. The company operates four divisions: the Overseas department which conducts international sea transport, the Domestic department which operates cargo ferries, the Ferry department carrying passengers and cars, and the Offshore Support Vessel Service department.

Challenge

The company holds many web conferences in its boardroom to connect the four business departments and nationwide branches. Previously, an integrated mic and speaker solution was used to pick up voice of meeting participants. Five such units were evenly distributed throughout the center of a U-shaped conference table. However, this setup also captured distracting noises like participants turning paper, tapping keyboards, mouse clicking, and conversations by people other than the primary speaker. Conference participants complained that this made it difficult for them to concentrate and impeded the conference progress.

Besides addressing this issue, the IT department was also looking to implement a portable conference audio solution, so it could be used in other conference rooms if required.

Solution

System integrator Audio Visual Communications Ltd. solved the problematic background noise with a Microflex Wireless System and IntelliMix Room DSP Software with AI Denoiser.

MXW8 Desktop Base Gooseneck Transmitters provide highly directional and reliable voice pick-up, with a dedicated microphone allocated for each conference participant. 

The IntelliMix Room DSP software with AI Denoiser function eliminates unwanted noise without impacting speech quality. The software is installed on a dedicated laptop running Zoom. An ANIUSB-MATRIX Audio Network Interface provides USB connection between the laptop to a locally integrated Zoom Rooms video conferencing solution.

To ensure maximum portability, the MXW System, including Access Point Transceivers and Networked Charging Stations, the laptop with IntelliMix Room, and ANIUSB-MATIRX Interface are fitted onto a movable AV cart. 

Advantages

Since implementation of the new Microflex Wireless System and IntelliMix Room with AI Denoiser, the previous noise complaints have stopped and Kawasaki Kinkai Kisen has been able to achieve a low-stress web conference environment. 

The portable setup using an AV cart allows to easily move the 15-channel wireless system to other conference rooms to support different conference styles as needed. The wireless flexibility also avoids cabling issues and helps to speed up transportation and setup.

Because speech can be heard properly, conferences progress much more smoothly than before. In the case of meetings with clients, I think that when the background noise was loud, it led to the image of the company being harmed. The fact that the new system has eliminated that problem is a great advantage.

Mr. Hajime Morishita, IT & DX Promotion Office