Founded in Brooklyn, New York, and with installations on every inhabited continent, Shared_Studios™ was created with the goal of helping people forge connections and discover their similarities.
Shared_Studios was seeking a method of facilitating real-time conversations between people located in different places, whether participants were across town or across the globe from one another. Participants soon discovered what the Shared_Studios founders already knew: regardless of location or background or any other distinguishing factor, we humans are far more alike than most of us realize. Effective communication plays a vital role in bringing people to this conclusion.
SOLUTION
Shared_Studios selected Devio with Parlé as the superior audio solution, providing the most life-like audio experience, delivering clear audio whether portal visitors were having a conversation or collaborating on a musical performance. Devio and Parlé were installed in the first 12 portals throughout 2017. These units are located in portals all over the world, from an internally displaced persons camp in Erbil, Iraq, to permanent installations in Nairobi, Kenya and Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Portals are typically centered around LCD or LED projectors, with LED lights illuminating participants. They have one or more cameras embedded in the display surface, creating lineof-sight contact, and enabling participants to interact live and full-body, as if in the same room. Each portal features a single Devio connected to a Parlé microphone located in the ceiling, and an Ethernet patch cable runs through the ceiling to connect to a computer hidden behind the wall. The computer, amplifier, and all other pieces of equipment are out of sight, and two loudspeakers are camouflaged and embedded in the wall so they are as close to the participants’ ears as logistically possible. While these devices are hidden from view, they remain easily accessible for technicians to make any necessary adjustments. Parlé’s Beamtracking microphones are small and unobtrusive, but still capable of picking up the natural sound of participants’ voices on both ends of the session, creating a lifelike interaction for people located hundreds or thousands of miles apart.
CONCLUSION
Portal participants report ongoing positive impacts, even weeks and months later, from interacting with people via the portals. Because the portals come in multiple form factors including temporary installations in repurposed shipping containers and a mobile portal housed in a retrofitted school bus-Devio’s flexibility makes it an ideal choice for a highquality, affordable, and repeatable audio solution.
One of the primary purposes of the portals project is bridging gaps between people-whether those gaps are geographical, cultural, or any number of other reasons. That’s why audio clarity as well as minimizing latency were key factors. Shared_ Studios was committed to reducing latency as much as possible to support effective collaboration. Devio’s software allows it to adjust automatically whenever a participant is talking, laughing, or singing, resulting in crisp, clean natural sounding audio no matter the geographical distance between participants. With Biamp solutions in place, Shared_Studios’ founders, curators, and participants are free to focus on building human connections across the world.
A graduate of DeVry Institute of Technology, Doug has been in the Technology industry since 1976 and actively oversees Fearing’s daily operations. Along with his wife, Lois, and three others, Doug started Fearing’s in a 600 square-foot facility in Portage, Wisconsin. In the 25 years since, the company has grown to over 30 employees with offices in Madison and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Doug likes to say he’s a “TV Technician with a dream� going back to his history with the family’s original business-Fearing’s TV and Appliance.
Doug values time with family, watersports, hiking, snowshoeing and skiing. In addition to being a devoted member of his church, Doug serves as Board President for Kinship Mentoring of Columbia County, Board member of Schools for Haiti and Scripture Chair of the Gideons-Portage camp.
A graduate of MATC, Lois oversees Fearing’s daily book keeping along with various HR responsibilities.
Along with Doug, Lois is deeply connected to community outreach, serving as a Board member and Fundraising Committee Chairperson for Kinship Mentoring of Columbia County. She also serves on the Schools for Haiti Fundraising committee. In addition, Lois’ ongoing passion and commitment to provide care for the elderly comes from her 10-year history of working in a Reedsburg, Wisconsin Nursing home.
Lois enjoys singing, hiking, sunny days on the pontoon, and spending time with her 4 grandchildren.
Ehren drives Fearing’s technology by continually seeking out trends to enhance capabilities while supporting Sales, Engineering and Installation teams. Throughout his years with Fearing’s, Ehren’s talent and vision have joined forces to create a wide variety of projects and strategic solutions that exceed expectation.
Ehren loves music, family time, movies, nature, sustainability efforts and electric vehicles.
With 10 years with Fearing’s and over twice that long in the industry, Ben continues to lead, coordinate, and develop the Commercial AV team.
By consistently delivering an outstanding experience and outcome, Ben contributes to the Fearing’s legacy of long-lasting partnerships that truly make a difference. Whatever the Commercial AV need may be, Ben and team deliver at the highest level.
Ben is an avid fisherman and photographer. He enjoys coaching his sons and other youth.
Chris has been with Fearing’s for 20 years and in the industry for over 2 decades. As a Certified leader in Sales Acceleration and trained in EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating Systems), Chris successfully utilizes his skills to lead the Fearing’s Salesforce. Chris and team are motivated and driven to develop new client partnerships while continuing to reinforce loyal long-term relationships with ongoing Service excellence.
Married for 19 years with 3 children, Chris enjoys skiing, hiking, fishing, boating, hunting, camping and golf. He’s also been actively involved as a Youth Football and Softball coach for his family and others.
