MessageNet

Category: Everyday Communication

  • The Importance of Audio-Visual Communication to Emergency Notification

    How we communicate with each other is constantly evolving. For millennia, any communication that wasn’t in person was by necessity visual. Advances in audio technology, such as the telephone and public address systems, turned communication trends towards the audio for a long time. Making pages over PA systems and calling people on their phones was the fastest and easiest way to get in touch with people. Emergency and critical communications systems mirrored that preference. They focused on paging and on phone calling. But recently, there’s been a shift back towards visual communication. It’s vital that emergency notification adapt to keep up.

    A Shift to Visual

    Even within everyday communication, there has been a shift towards a preference for the visual. People would rather receive an e-mail or a text than a phone call or a voice mail. There are many reasons for this, including convenience, but a major contributor is that important information is easy to reference with no action required on the part of the recipient. Everyone’s remembers listening to a voice mail multiple times in order to write down a phone number. Now, if you leave a voice mail with important information in it, a lot of people will see that as an inconvenience and wonder why you didn’t just text or e-mail them instead.

    Direct messaging isn’t the only place we expect more visual communication. Increasingly, people want subtitles on videos, even in their own language, so that they can be viewed with the volume turned down or understood even when in a noisy environment. If a speaker has a different accent from our own, subtitles can make it easier to understand. So why don’t we expect subtitles for paging and announcements?

    Audio and Visual Public Address

    Even in normal, everyday announcements, having visual communication be a part of the page is extremely helpful. People aren’t always paying attention immediately and could miss the first part of an audio-only PA announcement that is then not repeated. Environments can be noisy, or people could be wearing headphones. Then there’s the fact that some people are more visual learners and would have a harder time immediately comprehending something that is only audio. Providing visual communication on top of audio makes all communications accessible to the deaf and blind communities, helping organizations ensure ADA compliance. Text may also assist people whose first language may not be English and who might be able to read English better than they can hear it. Everyone deserves to have equal access to information.

    Audiovisual PA in Emergencies

    Emergencies are unpredictable and can be very noisy environments. Between people shouting and screaming or the sounds of of a storm, gunshots, an explosion (which could render the people nearby at least temporarily deaf), or other loud noises, the people you’re trying to reach might be unable to hear an audio page over the PA. A visual component to your emergency communication system thus becomes vital to communicating the information people will need to save lives. People also often look to a second source of information to corroborate what they’re hearing before they actually take action. Providing a visual component to your PA announcement can provide this second source of information.

    MessageNet’s Audiovisual Solution

    MessageNet’s solution is audiovisual PA. Instead of having speakers alone, MessageNet’s devices are signs that have both speakers and a screen so that both audio and visual messages can be played. Some audiovisual devices have LED text boards, but MessageNet’s Omni includes an LCD screen that can scroll messages, display images, including evacuation maps, and videos as needed in addition to speakers and flashers that can get people’s attention.

    —

    , ,

  • The Future of PA Is Text-to-Speech

    Public address has been in use since the time of Ancient Greece in the form of megaphones. Modern PA and paging systems were invented in 1910 by the Automatic Electric Company in the form of a loudspeaker. Since then, they’ve been a central component of communications systems. They’re used to make announcements in schools, to amplify performances during concerts, and much more. They’re also an integral part of emergency communications systems. In some cases, paging is the emergency communication system.

    Because of its prevalence in emergency communications, it’s important to take advantage of the latest advances in technology to ensure that paging messages are as understandable and intelligible as possible.

    megaphone used for public address

    The Introduction of Text-to-Speech

    People have been attempting to build machines to replicate the human voice for centuries. If legends are to be believed, the earliest of these was as long ago as 1000 CE. Between 1779 and 1950, many succeeded in building bellows-operated replicas of human mouth and vocal cords that could actually reproduce both vowel and consonants. It wasn’t until 1950, however, that computers were first used to try to synthesize speech. 1968 saw the very first English-language text-to-speech engine created in Japan. Early on, however, text-to-speech technically worked but was so difficult to understand that it wasn’t a practical option for communication.

    But what has text-to-speech got to do with public address?

    Text-to-Speech and Public Address

    In an emergency situation, public address can be useful for reaching large numbers of people at once within the same location or building. However, someone has to use the paging system and make the announcement. This person may be panicked, making their message difficult to understand. In addition, that person may need to evacuate, depending on the nature of the emergency, and therefore would not be able to stay to continue to deliver potentially life-saving information. This is where text-to-speech comes in.

    With an emergency communication system like MessageNet, messages can be created and saved ahead of time that address any emergency or contingency that you can think of. These messages can go to any devices connected to the MessageNet system, including public address and paging systems. The message is delivered via text-to-speech to audio devices so that the message says exactly what it’s supposed to and provides all of the information necessary to listeners so that they can take appropriate actions. The message can repeat as many times as desired, including continuously for the duration the message is active. No one has to stay behind and no one has to try to give a detailed message in an emergency situation.

    Improved Emergency Messaging

    The only thing anyone would need to do is to start the message running in the first place, which can be done with a few clicks from either a computer or a mobile device. Everyone knows ahead of time that any emergency messages that go provide exactly the information needed, no second attempts needed because someone was making an announcement in a stressful situation. Text-to-speech often sounds more official to many, so listeners may be more likely to immediately obey instructions. On top of that, pre-saved text-to-speech messages can be launched more quickly and eliminate potential mistakes from human error.

    —

    , ,

  • Why You Should Use Your Emergency Communication System Every Day

    Help sign

    Emergency Communication: An Unfortunate Necessity

    While it would be nice to live in a world where emergency communication wasn’t necessary, it’s unfortunately not the world we live in. Every organization, from schools to companies should have some kind of emergency communication system. Even the Gotham Police Department has the Bat Signal and the Bat Phone. Most emergency communication systems aren’t quite as simple as flicking the switch on a spotlight or picking up a phone, however, so it’s important to know how to use it properly.

    The Bat Signal

    The Problem with Infrequent Usage

    Practice Makes Perfect

    Using your emergency communication system regularly is key. This does mean running emergency drills on a regular basis so that you can be sure that not only does everyone know how to use the system but they also know exactly what to expect when an emergency alert needs to go out.

    Run Regular Drills

    Schedule regular drills for a variety of different emergency messages. Make sure your staff (and students, if you work in education) are aware that a drill will be occurring. A staff member who would be in charge of sending the alert in a real emergency should be the one to send the alert for the drill. If you have different types of emergency alerts, such as active shooter, tornado, extreme weather, fire, etc., then you’ll need to run tests for each one. This will ensure that not only does everyone know what to do in an emergency but also that they know exactly what to expect should an emergency arise. Plus, you’re regularly testing the entire system to make sure it functions as it should in an emergency situation, rather than waiting until an emergency occurs to discover that something isn’t working.

    Use the System Every Day

    Even better than scheduling regular drills is to just use the system every day. MessageNet Connections has many uses far beyond just emergency communication. You can use it for a bell schedule, posting lunch menus, displaying announcements, requesting meetings, contests, trivia, and more. Devices like the MediaPort and the Omni can display videos as well as images, PowerPoints, and text.

    MessageNet Connections is far more than just a spotlight in the sky or a phone call to Batman. The system’s versatility gives it a wide range of everyday activities that can be done. The more that is done daily by your staff, the more experienced at using the system they’ll be. If an emergency situation arose, they would already be familiar and comfortable with using the system. Administration would also be more familiar with all of the capabilities of the system and so could design emergency alerts so that they utilize the full potential of the system. Emergency alerts can therefore reach more people in the event of an emergency scenario.

    —

    , , ,

  • MessageNet PA capabilities

    Most people think of PA as being a simple audio tool. Pick up a phone and speak and your voice will be transmitted to speakers all over the building. While MessageNet does have the capability to transmit to any combination of speakers, our PA system has a lot more to offer.

    • Reply to a PA message via the two-way intercom feature.
    • Record and store thousands of recorded  message for later play.  Most systems limit you to a handful of recorded messages.
    • Schedule recorded messages to automatically play once or repeatedly.
    • Speak live and automatically record what was said for future use and for documentation.
    • Have a typed message spoken aloud through text-to-speech software that supports multiple languages.
    • Flash high-intensity lights to get attention.
    • Have a text message scroll across the PA device.

    These additional capabilities make for a far more versatile and useful system that can meet the needs of many different situations. As an audio and visual PA system, it can be used in environments with deaf and blind people and is also ideal for emergencies, as people can be rendered deaf or blind in an instant by an explosion or other type of disaster.

    —

    ,

  • Cameras in classrooms

    Cameras in classrooms are a valuable tool for a variety of reasons. They can be used for video conferences or for classroom-based morning announcements. They can even be used for classroom observation, which can be a useful resource for teachers to initiate a video recording of incidences in the classroom or to identify and document bullying.

    Cameras can also be vital for emergency situations. Not only can they record an event to be analyzed after the fact, but they can also pop and display live video feeds from the point of interest to staff PCs and digital signage.  Additionally these cameras can deliver live video feed to police, fire fighters, or other emergency responders. Having advanced knowledge of a situation can mean saving more lives.

    —

    , ,

  • Record Live PA

    MessageNet already offers one of the most versatile and comprehensive PA systems on the market. We’ve recently added the ability to automatically record any announcement that is spoken live over a PA. This is useful because that same message can be replayed later if its intended recipient didn’t hear all of it, or if it needs to be repeated later East Inflatable Rentals. This allows for more complicated spoken announcements, because users no longer have to worry that the message will be lost or not remembered if it’s too long, since it can always be replayed. This also provides an audit trail, so if there’s been a problem with unauthorized use of the PA, exactly what was said and who said it can easily be found out.

    —

    , , , ,

  • Message Prioritization

    Because MessageNet Connections can be used for both everyday and emergency communications, protocols for message prioritization need to be set up. Too often, users, not wanting their messages to be interrupted by others’, set theirs with higher priority levels, potentially blocking any other messages (even emergency messages) from being displayed or spoken. I recommend that an organization should establish priority standards for each type of message ahead of time so users know what priority to give their messages inflatable water slides.

    The default priority for normal messages is 200. Other every day priority levels can be set around this base. While emergency messages should have higher priority levels, emergencies are not necessarily equal. This is where it’s vital to set priority standards before emergencies happen, so a message about a fire threatening the entire building isn’t blocked by a message about a water leak in the basement that may only damage equipment. Having different classifications for emergency messages can help make choosing a priority level easier. Also, within Connections’ User Database Manager, it is possible to restrict certain users from sending messages with higher than a certain priority, so only emergency personnel can send messages with emergency-level priority, making it easier to control how the priority levels of messages are set up.

    I highly recommend these steps be taken to ensure that emergency communications are reliably delivered and are not lost in the crowd of common daily communications.

    —

    , , , ,

  • The Importance of PC Alert

    PC Alert can be used for everyday communication, but it’s used best for emergency situations. Because it can pop through other windows and even through password-free screen savers, PC Alert is ideal for making sure the message can be seen. And because PC Alert can be disabled only by a system administrator, you can trust that any emergency (or everyday) message will reach its intended recipient. To see an informative short video or more information on PC Alert, visit http://www.messagenetcommunicationsystems.com/computer-pop-ups-instant-messaging-pc-alert-for-mac-and-pc/

    —

    ,

  • Effectively Using PC Alert

    While PC Alert is easy to use, convenient for messaging and necessary in emergencies, it can get overwhelming for employees if not used in a strategic way. There are good reasons why PC Alert can’t be disabled and will always pop over other windows

    on a computer, but it can be distracting for employees when they find their work being interrupted, unnecessarily. Thus, it’s important to consider limiting the messages that come through over PC Alert to only the most important messages and their targeted audience. Like the boy who cried wolf, if people are constantly receiving messages unnecessarily through PC Alert, it can diminish the importance and impact of an actual emergency message.

    While PC Alert is easy to use, convenient for messaging and necessary in emergencies, it can get overwhelming for employees if not used in a strategic way. There are good reasons why PC Alert can’t be disabled and will always pop over other windows on a computer, but it can be distracting for employees when they find their work being interrupted, unnecessarily. Thus, it’s important to consider limiting the messages that come through over PC Alert to only the most important messages and their targeted audience. Like the boy who cried wolf, if people are constantly receiving messages unnecessarily through PC Alert, it can diminish the importance and impact of an actual emergency message.
    Path:

    —

    , , ,

  • The Benefits of Way-finding are Finally Being Realized

    Have you ever noticed how practically nobody asks for directions anymore? And why should they? Directions or maps are literally at our fingertips these days. With smart phones, GPS, and online mapping software, I think most of us are now empowered to know how to get somewhere; I believe there’s also a certain mind-set that develops along with that. I think that people are now becoming so accustomed to this information being readily available that they never expect to get lost or be unable to find their way around.

    For example, on a recent trip out of town, I had to find a particular route to a specific place, only to be in the middle of a 3G dead-zone. So, with my maps app on my phone not working, I had to rely on my own intuition and sense of direction (which, pre-smartphone, was actually good) to find the highway. In retrospect, I realized that my entire way of thinking — my historical penchant for pre-planning a trip and visually memorizing all potential routes had nearly failed due to my neglect to regularly use it!
    Well, for better or worse, this paradigm will probably never change back and, most likely, it will evolve even further, like augmented reality (Project Glass, anyone?).

    So with this paradigm shift in mind, we’ve been developing a new feature for Connections which allows a MediaPort to display a map or floor-plan; on that, it will display egress routes in the form of a flashing line (straight or curved) with arrow. We’ve purposely left this feature as flexible as possible so that it can conceivably be used for nearly every type of situation. The really neat thing about this feature is that it’s location-aware — intelligent enough to know which LCD panel is being used, relative to a given floor-plan or map. Because of that, a single event can cause multiple LCD panels throughout a building or campus to each display their own locations (a map, literally with a “you are here” red X on it), with appropriate egress routes flashing, showing people where to go, specific to each location. It’s really something neat to see it working, in-person.

    I think it’s obvious what kind of added value that might have for an existing safety and security system; but what about everyday use? One example immediately comes to mind: hospitals. Many hospitals have not had the luxury to be designed wholly from the ground-up. Instead, they are typically older buildings that have been repeatedly expanded and renovated over the years; as a result, they are virtual labyrinths. Just think how easy it would be if there were a digital sign at each fork and turn in the hallways, giving you personalized directions (literally with arrows) to your destination within the hospital. It might make all the difference in that first visit to someone’s hospital room or even just to find that great cafeteria food!

    Well, we’re not quite there with that customized level of way-finding, yet — but we’re getting close. In the meantime though, Connections does currently support location-aware routing, which I think is a significant addition to Connection’s capabilities (and it’s fun to draw the routes, too).

    —

    , , ,