University of Florida Upgrades its Digital Worlds Institute with Shure’s Microflex® Advance™ Ceiling Array Microphones

The Digital Worlds Institute within the University of Florida’s College of the Arts is on thecutting edge of digital arts and sciences education. Established in the early 2000s, the Institute offers degree programs related to game development, audio, video, digital arts production and more. Unique to this program, all of the Institute’s undergraduate classes utilize bi-directional live video for remote students to view and listen to lectures in real- time.

While the majority of students are in the on-campus classrooms, online students have the opportunity to view and participate in class remotely, in real-time or later on their own time. Hosted via large video conference screens with cameras and microphones placed

throughout the classroom, professors and remote students can see, hear and engage with one another as if they were actually in the same room. This sort of educational environment demanded high quality audio that would elevate the overall learning experience for both on-campus and remote students.

Ethan Tripp—technical resource & production supervisor at Digital Worlds Institute—was in need of an audio solution that would better allow remote students to engage with classmates and professors, creating seamless collaboration and discussion opportunities amongst both parties. Prior to selecting Shure’s Microflex® AdvanceTMceiling array microphones, the Institute was equipped with a more traditional discussion system featuring gooseneck mics. While audio was strong, this system caused issues for students and hindered organic discussion. In-room students would often forget to mute and unmute their mics (forcing professors to stop the discussion and tell the student to do so) and remote students often remained silent (for fear of unknowingly interrupting someone). As such, the natural flow of conversation was compromised.

Tripp installed MXA910s in two prominent classrooms in the Digital Worlds Institute—one being a smaller classroom and another serving as a 50-seat theater with large, immersive video walls so on-campus and remote students can easily communicate. With the hope of encouraging freer, intellectually-stimulating discussions, the ceiling array microphones enabled students to seamlessly and comfortably collaborate without having to mute or unmute a mic. Additionally, given the unobtrusive placement of the MXA910s, students immediately felt more comfortable speaking up, as the “hidden” mics kept themfeeling as if they were “on the spot.” Lastly, from a remote student’s perspective, theShure solution made them feel as though they were truly a part of the conversations.