3M Buckley Innovation Centre invests in latest AV technology

A pioneering business centre in Huddersfield has invested more than £500,000 in state-of-the-art audio visual technology to help Kirklees businesses connect with the world.

The 3M Buckley Innovation Centre at Firth Street provides a hub for high-tech, high-growth businesses – with meeting rooms and conference spaces catering for 14 to 100 delegates and available for all businesses, not just tenants at the centre.

All meetings and conference spaces are now kitted out with the latest AV technology, including touch screen monitors allowing easy navigation through presentations and a system enabling participants to wirelessly share content from their laptops and other mobile devices to the rooms’ high definition screens.

Businesses with overseas contacts can benefit from a three-camera Polycom 7200 TelePresence facility in the board room which enables them to communicate with international associates  without the need to travel – saving money on air fares.

For larger events, the presentation and exhibition spaces offer full HD projection systems, complete with a three-metre wide screen. Two wall mounted HD 42-inch screens allow those at the back of the room to see the main presentation, all supported by a speaker system linked to radio microphones. 

The smaller, more informal rooms, come with video conferencing systems while the 3M Room also has whiteboards and an interactive graffiti wall for creative design.

Dr Michael Wilson, technology director at the 3M BIC, said: “The TelePresence system in the board room is unique as the height of the screens gives the impression of everyone being in the same room.

It also allows simultaneous speech, which normal video conferencing usually can’t cope with. This is ideal if you are speaking to overseas associates and the line needs to be clear due to the language barrier.

He said: “Our newly installed AV facilities complement the technology on our Innovation Avenue, which houses revolutionary equipment for the manufacturing and engineering sectors, including our recent addition, the 3D printer.”