The Quadram Institute in Norwich, England, is a groundbreaking medical center focusing on food science and health. The new $105 million facility brings together more than 100 clinicians and 300 researchers from several founding partner organizations. [related]
It also includes one of the UK’s largest endoscopic and bowel cancer screening suites capable of handling more than 40,000 procedures a year, making it one of the largest in Europe.
To support its crucial diagnostic, teaching and research mandates, the Quadram Institute needed an AV system to elevate the level of collaboration between clinicians, students and researchers conducting and monitoring the procedures performed on site.
In addition to meeting rigorous health codes, the SDVoE AVoIP system would need to provide video imaging of the highest quality as well as video switching with near zero latency to facilitate real-time viewing and interaction among medical and clinical staff.
An SDVoE AVoIP System
Snelling Business Systems, the UK-based global AV systems integrator, was selected to handle the comprehensive and critical AV requirements—creating the first endoscopy site in the UK utilizing SDVoE technology to distribute uncompressed 4K video over a 10GB Ethernet network.
For reasons of bandwidth as well as electrical isolation, the system infrastructure was specified for 100% optical fiber connectivity, another first for a medical imaging facility.
“There was no doubt the integration of cutting-edge video technology would be critical to achieving our vision of a world-class, forward thinking institute,” said Andrew Chapple, communications manager, Quadram Institute.
“Snelling Business Systems has proven its merit as a technology partner who helped us realize our vision with zero compromise.”
Two-Way Audio & Uncompressed 4K
For performing endoscopies that could be monitored by medical staff, students and researchers onsite and in remote locations, the system enables two-way audio and uncompressed 4K video with near zero latency from four sources simultaneously.
The sources include the Endocam at the tip of the endoscopy tool; the Endoscope Guide, which shows exactly where the tool is during procedures; a wide-angle view of the endoscopy suite; and a “clinician view” that enables the audience to see the technique being employed by the doctor.
This multi-view platform enables live visual and voice interaction between clinicians performing procedures in the four interconnected endoscopy suites and those viewing from other locations in the facility and beyond its walls.
All specifications of the system meet stringent government and industry requirements for medical applications.
For example, the equipment in the endoscopy suites that is directly connected to the endoscopic medical equipment have medical grade power supplies, galvanized isolation and anti-bacterial coating.
Innovative Uncompressed 4K AVoIP Solution
“As the leading facility for endoscopies in the country, it is important that the AV system does all it can to support those performing the procedures, as well as those being trained to perform them,” said Kevin Medeja, group technical officer, Snelling Business Solutions.
“The level of performance and sophistication we were able to achieve would not have been possible using an HDBaseT or compressed SDVoE AVoIP (AV over IP solution”).
To capture and stream AV sources for this ground-breaking system, Snelling selected ZeeVee ZyPer4K SDVoE encoders for fiber Ethernet, which deliver uncompressed 4K 4:4:4 video over a 10G optical IP network.
Outputs from the high-resolution endoscopy camera, as well as the suite’s PTZ cameras, were connected to the encoders. ZeeVee’s technology enables streams from multiple sources to be seen in multi-view format on a single display, all in real-time.
“Snelling Business Systems’ trailblazing installation should not be minimized. It developed the first endoscopy site in the UK – and to the best of our knowledge on the planet – utilizing uncompressed 4K video (SDVoE) over a 10GB Ethernet network using fiber interconnectivity.
“They accomplished this with unmatched skill and nuance,” said Rob Muddiman, EMEA sales director, ZeeVee, Inc. “Leveraging ZeeVee’s SDVoE ZyPer4K product line, the Snelling team implemented a system with zero-latency and pixel-perfect uncompressed 4K video quality, as mandated by the client project brief, for mission critical performance throughout the building.”
IP Switch Choice
To support the required 10G Ethernet infrastructure, Snelling chose IP switches from NETGEAR, another SDVoE Alliance co-founding member.
This satisfied the requirements for 100% optical fiber connectivity and it being completely modular. The switches offered another advantage in that they are preconfigured to work with ZeeVee’s ZyPer4K encoders and decoders, which saved significant time in setting up the system’s multi-view platform.
“This ambitious project underscores how the demands of today’s AV applications in the medical arena, including the requirements for the highest video quality and low latency, can be met and exceeded in healthcare environments,” said Richard Jonker, VP SMB Product Line Management, NETGEAR.
“The convergence between AV and IT is here and it’s supporting new ways for practitioners to deliver better outcomes.
Tech In Summary: Benefits of a SDVoE AVoIP Backbone
ZeeVee ZyPer4K, NETGEAR switches and SDVoE technology combined to provide the following benefits to Quadram Institute’s endoscopy suite, seminar rooms and remote medical community:
Multiview was Critical
Multiview processing built into the decoder reduced the complexity of the installation by removing additional image processing hardware.
Image Quality
The 10G system provided pixel-perfect resolution, clarity, and color reproduction. A 1G compressed SDVoE AVoIP solution had the potential to introduce compression artifacts and reduced quality, which is unacceptable for medical applications.
Latency
The system’s two-way communication required near zero latency, and SDVoE technology provides sub-100 microseconds of latency.
Galvanic Isolation
Stray currents that compromise visual acuity are unacceptable in a facility performing endoscopic procedures on patients. The 100% fiber infrastructure eliminated this threat.
Worry-free Deployment and Configuration
ZeeVee products are auto-discovered by the ZyPer Management Platform and NETGEAR switches are pre-configured for AV over IP distribution.
Future-proofing
Built-in 10-Bit HDR support allows Quadram Institute to expand its application with the latest technology at any point in the future without having to replace any of the core infrastructure.
