Page 19 - May2016

HOW TO TURN A DODGE BALL INTO A COMMUNICATIONS TOOL!
How to turn a dodge ball into a communications tool!
Meet Qball: a dodge ball that is also a microphone. The idea of a microphone you can throw, catch and drop may seem a bit off the wall at first. But it is a great way to make communication within groups of people more fun and engaging. Already generating plenty of interest from schools and conference organizers, Qball will be bouncing onto the market later this year.
We’ve all been there at Q&A sessions after presentations at conferences, events, etc. The long pause waiting for the microphone to move from questioner to questioner, making potentially interesting debates stilted, drawn- out and, well, dull. PEEQ Technologies plans to put an end to that with its throwable, wireless microphone called Qball. Qball allows the microphone to move from person to person in a fast and fun way. So those stilted group sessions turn back into natural, free-flowing conversations.
“The idea for Qball came from the school environment in the US. Here it is common for teachers to use microphones to be heard in large classrooms, and ‘talking stick’ tokens that let everyone know whose turn it is to speak.
“We wanted to combine those two things into something that would add an element of fun and get kids involved in group work,” says Shane Cox, PEEQ founder and originator of the Qball concept. When we presented the idea of a microphone in a ball to educators, they said ‘Why has no-one done this before!’”
The technology to make it possible
Encouraged by the responses to their concept, Shane and PEEQ set about turning it into a real product. The first step was to find a wireless communication solution that would make the Qball possible. Similar devices have appeared on the market but have all fallen short on practicality and robustness, as well as being expensive. Many rely on infrared to
provide a communication link which is very limiting both in terms of distance and requiring uninterrupted line-of-sight contact.
“We needed a low power solution that operated at long range,” Cox explains. “And, most importantly, it had to be robust from interference in different environments. So, DECT was the ideal protocol, satisfying all our requirements.”
To implement DECT, PEEQ chose a complete, pre-certified SC14WAMDECT wireless audio module from Dialog Semiconductor. “Having a drop-in DECT solution really sped up our development cycle, especially with the hands- on support Dialog provided. It was great that a company of its size could be so helpful to a small start-up like us. As a result, we had our first physical prototypes ready in just a few months,” Cox adds.
Qball’s design also includes sensing and power saving features. An integrated accelerometer detects when the device is in motion, and ensures the microphone is switched off when the ball is being passed from one person to another. This means no bumps and thumps are heard from the speakers. Qball also senses when it has not been in use for a few minutes and will automatically enter sleep/standby mode to save energy. It wakes with a shake...
Thrown into the conversation
While the concept originated in the classroom, Qball can be used in many other scenarios. From conference sessions, public speaking events and boardroom meetings to parties or
karaoke nights. Anywhere interaction and conversation are part of the communication, Qball can make a difference.
Over the last year or so, PEEQ has been putting Qball through its paces in field trials in classrooms and conference halls. And it has received some very favorable responses.
“Thank you so much for the demo. It has been so fun to see how excited the kids have been,” said Chelsea Herring, a teacher at Timpanogos Intermediate School. “The kids who typically don't want to share are excited to hold the microphone and participate in class discussions. Plus the ability to have 3 classes in the school theater and for them all to be heard was powerful, and meant we could have better, more meaningful conversations.”
Qball is now in the pre-order phase, with shipping expected to begin in June this year. Interest has been shown by a wide variety of customers. Public/motivational speakers form one segment, where Qball will allow more effective interaction with the audience. Also, audio/visual companies are adding Qball to the services they can offer to event organizers.
PEEQ will be offering two versions of Qball. The basic, low-cost version targeting smaller applications is based on Bluetooth. But, as Cox explains: “For bigger, more professional applications – where you need more range and the local RF environment is saturated with different wireless communications – it really has to be DECT.”
www.peeq.us
DECT Today - The Success Story Continues · www.dect.org
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