With a commitment to providing a superior classroom experience for their students, Babson knew the best way to support students through hybrid learning would be investing in technologies that could bring them together, even if they weren’t physically in the same room. The initial success with the Crestron Automate VX system in specialized classrooms forged a natural evolution for Babson to bring this technology into additional classrooms across campus.

Throughout the Babson campus, there are nearly 50 classrooms that have intelligent video capabilities. The integration of the Crestron Automate VX system allows for a completely automatic camera-switching experience so whoever is speaking can be seen by the remote participants. Optical zoom PTZ cameras provide clear, crisp close-ups of the students in the room and the AutoTracker presenter tracking camera allows professors to move comfortably through their presentations.

These intelligent video capabilities empower Babson to supply enhanced classes to remote learners who could actively participate in class and have a similar experience to those in the classroom. This solution enables more collaborative work between remote and in-person students. Babson’s classrooms were designed to hold 60 students; however, due to social distancing, the maximum occupancy went down to 10 to 12 students. O’Donnell and his team leveraged the technology in these classrooms to assist professors with capturing lectures and sharing them with their students when they were unable to attend in person.

Beyond the pandemic, these impressive classrooms have continued to bring a multi-camera experience to Babson and support the flexibility of remote or hybrid classes. When a student is remote, they can always see the content and hear what is being said — an experience that is just as valuable as that provided to those sitting in the room.