“Project XY”: complete audiovisual solution for classrooms, boardrooms and conference rooms

Customer: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Expertise & industry: Audiovisual solutions
Technology: AV over IP, recording, streaming, LED wall, conferencing system, projectors, camera tracking

The Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) is a Belgian university that strives for sustainable and state-of-the art technologies in the field of audiovisual solutions.  After a process of several years with several demo sessions of different technological solutions, VUB has resolutely chosen Axians AV to lead this prestigious project in the right direction. Together with the ICT services of VUB, we’ve rolled out an AV over IP network that connects all sources and all rooms.

How does it work?

The more than 300 encoders and decoders are the heart of the AV solution.  A total of 14 classrooms are equipped with laser projectors, interactive displays and an automatic camera tracking system controlled by beam tracking microphones.  4K PTZ cameras capture both the teacher and the audience.  An intuitive control and management system guides the user through all AV techniques.

“When it comes to on-site installations, of course, everything should be as simple as possible. What you want to see is that a teacher entering an auditorium has to plug in at most two cables, do something on a touch panel and that he can actually do as much as possible himself without having to call the audiovisual services. That is why an integrator is extremely important. Ultimately, our goal is to focus on good teaching.”

Stijn Van Achter, innovation coordinator at Vrije Universiteit Brussel

The boardroom is equipped with a state-of-the art multimedia conferencing system that we seamlessly integrate into the furniture.  A 130-inch indoor LED wall provides a unique viewing and presentation experience for all participants.

When the COVID pandemic disrupted life as we knew it in Belgium (and in the rest of the world) VUB was able to continue teaching. The recording and streaming solution Axians AV provided as part of the XY Project, allowed VUB to virtually continue the lessons without any major issues.

Project XY is not only contemporary from an aesthetic point of view.  When designing it, a lot of attention was also paid to sustainability.  Modern technologies and applications should contribute to a more sustainable campus – a goal that was emphasized in the university’s strategic plan.

Our services include the complete project management, design, engineering, installation, configuration and programming of the complete audiovisual solution.