University of Westminster

Planning and Design

In the post Covid-19 world, maintaining high quality online content is more important than ever before, and simplifying how it is produced and distributed is a key requirement. Hybrid classroom solutions using WolfVision Cynap systems are able to provide a flexible blend of  in-person, remote, and on-demand learning. 
University of Westminster in London addresses the problem of how to teach laboratory classes during the current Covid-19 pandemic using Cynap systems in its Life Sciences Department. To facilitate in-person teaching where it is available, Cynap’s streaming capability is used to live stream lesson content easily between different laboratories allowing students to safely occupy multiple labs, facilitating proper social distancing.  

Each Laboratory has a Cynap to send and manage network streams from the other rooms, whilst also providing all the app-free, dongle-free, cable-free BYOD connectivity and collaboration tools that Cynap offers. Existing AMX control systems are used to control Cynap from the lectern and Cynap‘s HTML5 browser control also offers the possibility of control from mobile devices. 

This outstanding hybrid learning environment also enables students who cannot attend lectures to join classes from home.  University of Westminster also uses Cynap as a capture device for its Panopto video platform, scheduling recordings in each laboratory, and making them available for on-demand use by students. This is a key benefit, particularly during periods where disruption to teaching schedules remains a possibility.

Commenting on the installation, Vissen Limbeea, Classroom Teaching Development Manager at University of Wesminster said, “We had complex requirements to enable socially distant laboratory sessions to take place across multiple labs, as well as allowing offsite students to join in, and provide on-demand viewing of the sessions.
I chose Cynap because it allowed us to meet all the requirements while reducing complexity and is easy to use. It enables streaming of high quality, low latency audio and video between the labs, allowed offsite students to join in via video conferencing and recording, and direct upload to our video platform for on-demand viewing.
The system is flexible, allowing us to teach using multiple sources including PC, laptop, microscope, VisualiZer, BYOD and multiple cameras which includes a wired webcam, networked IP cameras and wireless cameras using mobile devices. Being one device simplified the installation and drastically reduced potential points of failures. 

The system is so versatile and easy to use, that when the labs are not used for teaching, it allows our tutors to record and produce teaching materials using multiple sources and cameras without technical assistance or video editing knowledge. As ever, the team at Wolfvision were excellent in providing assistance, and despite a late start to the project, and tight deadlines, the system was ready for the beginning of term.”

Commenting further WolfVision partner, Snelling Business Systems Ltd said, “As the University’s AV incumbent,  Snelling have been pleased to work in partnership with the University of Westminster site teams and Wolfvision to deploy Cynap in a hybrid setting to meet social distancing guidelines. The University already use the Cynap Pure for wireless presentation across the University in teaching spaces. They had also deployed Cynap into several active learning spaces and were familiar with the functionality and user experience. Using Cynap with additional licensce packs in the science labs made it suitable to create the hybrid solution the University were looking for in this scenario.”

Impact and User Response

This Video includes a visit with The University of Westminster in the UK where they have Cynap family products solving hybrid classroom and lab needs. You will also hear about the set up of a hybrid courtroom environment.