AV/IT TEAM: Carlos Alves, head of the IRCAD AV department; David Hiltenbrand, AV technician
GOALS: Institut de Recherche contre les Cancers de l'Appareil Digestif (IRCAD) is a globally recognized surgical research and training institute in Strasbourg, France dedicated to minimally invasive surgery. IRCAD 3 is a new 26,000-square-foot (2,400-square-meter) building dedicated to robotic surgery, and this latest extension of IRCAD needed to feature an array of high-end AV technology to deliver an immersive learning experience.
CHALLENGES: The team was tasked with creating a center of prestige and excellence equipped with the latest AV technologies. IRCAD required an ultra-connected auditorium, with 4K 3D projection to support learning. In addition, they were asked to implement a high-definition video conferencing system to further support the training of surgeons, as well as establish an ecosystem of IP-connected technologies throughout the building. IRCAD and AV integrator DEYA worked together closely to research the available technologies that could deliver on the ambitious brief.
“The 3D element in surgery is very important since it allows you to have the depth ratio to understand the various elements,” said Carlos Alves, head of the IRCAD AV Department. “Colors are also very important, and obviously everything must be very defined to see all the small vessels and so on.”
Christie Mirage 4K40-RGB projectors, Christie Terra Controller, Christie Terra Receiver
FINAL INSTALL/USER BENEFITS: The 237-seat auditorium features a fully modular stage space, with a 38-foot (11.6m) display powered by two Christie Mirage 4K40-RGB pure laser projectors. DEYA also established an AV control room and implemented an ecosystem of equipment throughout the building—all connected over IP with a Christie Terra AV-over-IP solution. The auditorium, which also features six 4K cameras, can live stream operations in 3D with 4K resolution, with no compression or latency.
The aims of the auditorium were, above all, to deliver both 4K and 3D—but also to ensure a very immersive experience."
—David Hiltenbrand
“The aims of the auditorium were, above all, to deliver both 4K and 3D—but also to ensure a very immersive experience. We wanted, unlike our other auditoriums, to have a large, wide projection area so we could display at least five or six images to provide versatility,” said David Hiltenbrand, AV technician at IRCAD. “We were looking for a laser projector with beautiful colorimetry and strong 3D capabilities. The choice naturally turned to Christie, who was the only manufacturer at the time to offer this type of product. We also switched to video over IP throughout the building, and that’s a complete paradigm shift. It’s based on various aspects that were new to us, so we had to train and surround ourselves with the right people to learn. It was a big IT investment in switches to have a good, sustainable base on which we will be able to use different video over IP technologies. We chose SDVoE technology, which we felt was most mature in terms of integration and in terms of HDCP management.”
Additional meeting rooms feature systems for video conferencing and wireless content sharing, designed to allow users to easily plug in their devices and enable a fluid user experience. Further AV is installed throughout the building, with the AV-over-IP solution managing the broadcast of live content throughout. IRCAD 3 also houses two labs featuring robotic systems for highly specialized surgery.
The outcome is a highly specified center of prestige and excellence, equipped with powerful AV technology, which has blended the required high levels of performance while maintaining the ultra-modern aesthetics of the building. “It is a long-term project, and we are happy with the result, because we worked hand in hand,” adds Alves. “Otherwise, it was not possible to achieve the result we did.”
[ Check out more from The Class of 2023: The AV/IT Teams of Higher Ed ]
