Listen Technologies has a lot to talk about during Integrated Systems Europe 2017, including three product announcements.
ListenTALK is a two-way mobile communications device for transmitting and receiving aimed at enabling simple collaboration of one-to-one, one-to-many and all-to-all. Although it’s not slated to release globally until March 1, Listen Technologies is using ISE 2017 to kick off what senior marketing manager Kim Spencer calls a rolling launch.
A European version of ListenWiFi is being launched at ISE 2017. ListenWiFi enables venues to stream audio from any source directly to individual smartphones or tablets, supporting up to 48 channels.
[inpagepromo]
Meanwhile, Listen Technologies is particularly excited about ListenIR, says wireless product manager Wayne Whiteley, in part because he belies the product will help overcome stigmas associated with IR.
CI had a chance to talk to Spencer and Whiteley about Listen Technologies three big ISE 2017 product announcements:
Whiteley, On Listen Technologies ListenTalk:
“It’s a two-way communication device. Basically, some of the applications that you would use it in would be in a tour environment where you need to be able to have participants ask questions and communicate full duplex. It will be on a 1.9 GHz deck platform, so it won’t be on the crowded 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi band. There won’t be interference.
The device, actually, is a transceiver. There’s one device that will work with both the leader and the participant. The way you easily do that is, there is a little clip that you put on one of the units and then you can quickly pair to a few individuals via NFC, near-field communications.
The beauty of it is it’s just simple. You don’t have to worry about allocating frequencies like you did with the legacy RF products, the FM products. It makes it really easy for the end users to use. Then there’s also the ability, because it’s based on spread spectrum or frequency-hopping spread spectrum. It’s secured somewhat by that, but then we also have added encryption that allows for secure communication between individuals.
Spencer, on Listen Technologies ListenWiFi:
Last year we launched our second version of ListenWiFi. [Now we’re] launching specifically into the European market. We’ve added some additional features and functionality that have been added to the system to make it scalable. It serves more users.
There are all kinds of benefits.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtD2O8Vzj_o
Whiteley, On Listen Technologies ListenIR:
One of the things with IR is, for years it’s had maybe a little stigma applied to it, just because of the line-of-sight. But because of the IR products that we’ve developed, the receivers and the powerful radiators, it’s really taken that line of sight out of it.
It really gives users more of, for lack of a better word, an FM experience where you’re not worried about facing the radiator. Just the ability to forget that you need to be pointed to the radiator and to just wear it normally and still be able to hear inside the ear.
The other thing with IR, obviously, is it allows it to be somewhat secure because the IR doesn’t travel outside of the room. RF or whatever would penetrate the walls and be able to be picked up. IR is used a lot where confidential communications like courtrooms and things like that.
