San Diego State U Upgrades Microphones for Hybrid Learning

Sony microphone

Courtesy of San Diego State University

San Diego State University is outfitting nearly 200 classrooms across its main and Imperial Valley campuses with Sony's MAS-A100 beamforming ceiling microphone, to support the hybrid classroom model. The hands-free lecture and presentation solution uses speech reinforcement technology to provide clear audio without the typical constraints of lavalier or handheld microphones.

Features of the technology include:

  • Easy installation;
  • An Intelligent Feedback Reducer function, to extract speech while suppressing feedback;
  • Automatic gain control;
  • Ability to record lectures for on-demand purposes;
  • Dual-channel output for simultaneous recording of both instructor and student voices;
  • Compatibility with third-party Dante mixers, converters and other devices; and
  • Power over Ethernet capability.

"As we refreshed the design of our classroom due to the pandemic, we sought a touchless experience to safeguard employees and adhere to health and safety protocols," explained Rudy Arias, associate director for Instructional Technology Services at San Diego State University, in a statement. "We were looking for an audio solution that would be hands-free, easy to implement, cost-effective and offer high-quality sound from any location. When we were introduced to the Sony IP ceiling microphone through a virtual demo, we placed our order within hours. We knew right away that it met our list of requirements and would be a reliable solution for our new hybrid classroom experience. We are currently installing them across our two campuses to make a bigger impact and facilitate a more engaging educational experience for teachers and students alike, and we are actively exploring and testing additional Sony classroom solutions to complement the new microphones and enhance our display capabilities."

About the Author

Rhea Kelly is editor in chief for Campus Technology, THE Journal, and Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • central cloud platform connected to various AI icons—including a brain, robot, and network nodes

    Linux Foundation to Host Protocol for AI Agent Interoperability

    The Linux Foundation has announced it will host the Agent2Agent (A2A) protocol project, an open standard originally developed by Google to support secure communication and interoperability among AI agents.

  • cloud connected to a quantum processor with digital circuit lines and quantum symbols

    Columbia Engineering Researchers Develop Cloud-Style Virtualization for Quantum Computing

    Columbia Engineering's HyperQ system introduces cloud-style virtualization to quantum computing, allowing multiple users to run programs simultaneously on a single machine. Learn how it works, why it matters, and highlights from other recent quantum breakthroughs from leading institutions and vendors.

  • laptop on a clean desk with digital padlock icon on the screen

    Study: Data Privacy a Top Concern as Orgs Scale Up AI Agents

    As organizations race to integrate AI agents into their cloud operations and business workflows, they face a crucial reality: while enthusiasm is high, major adoption barriers remain, according to a new Cloudera report. Chief among them is the challenge of safeguarding sensitive data.

  • stylized illustration of a desktop, laptop, tablet, and smartphone all displaying an orange AI icon

    Report: AI Shifting from Cloud to PCs

    AI is shifting from the cloud to PCs, offering enhanced productivity, security, and ROI. Key players like Intel, Microsoft (Copilot+ PCs), and Google (Gemini Nano) are driving this on-device AI trend, shaping a crucial hybrid future for IT.