The AVnatomy of the remodeled Taubman Health Sciences Library

Photo taken in the months before
the start of the renovation

After the renovation

Since my very first day as the Audiovisual Service Manager for MSIS, I have been thinking about and planning the AV design and integration for the Taubman Health Sciences Library renovation.  The journey from planning, to design, to demolition, and rebuilding will be a journey that I will not soon forget.  Today, Monday August 3, 2015 that journey hits a major milestone, as the doors have officially open for business.

I wanted to take an opportunity to highlight some of the audiovisual technologies that have been integrated into the design of the building so you all know what to expect as you start to make your way around the newly-renovated building.

Student enjoying the new lounge
on the 6th floor

The third floor of the new Health Sciences Library has 30 rooms each featuring two high-definition

camera and one or two microphones (depending on the room size) designed to capture the interaction

Digital Sign in the Suite lobby

Master Control Room

Simulation Patient Room

between medical students and actors portraying patients in the standardized Patient Program.  Each room has a Crestron controller panel inside the room to give the patients and/or student full control of their environment.  Using this controller, they can select:

• Privacy mode which will invert all cameras
• Audio only which turns off the video and records the room in an audio only mode
• Full record mode to capture all audio and video from the room.  

The Crestron control displays outside of the room provide a visual feedback to show the current state of the room.

Haworth Workware
Collaboration Tables

Sharp Interactive Display

As you enter the main library on the fourth floor you will be greeted by a four panel video wall.  The technology that is integrated into the Library spaces was all put together with collaboration and teamwork in mind.  There are four collaboration tables with 60” LCD panels that promote sharing and teamwork.  Two team rooms are furnished with Sharp Interactive displays that allow the users to annotate, and interact with the materials that they are displaying.  There are four digital signs in the library suite that are intended to promote the library, upcoming activities student events.  One of the most compelling pieces of technology in the entire building is the Anatomage Table, which is a virtual cadaver that give students the ability to manipulate full size male and female cadavers in several layers.

One of two identical collaboration suites

The fifth floor was designed with students and computing as the main focus.  There are 14 small group rooms that each have a 60" or 70" Flat Panel LCD display with HDMI and VGA inputs.  There is a large computer lab that has a movable wall to give flexibility to the users so that the room can be split in half.  Each room is outfitted with Canon REALiS projectors that are designed for medical imaging due to the LCOS imaging.  To serve the MSA staff located on the fifth floor, there is a large conference room with a 70" flat panel display with HDMI and

One of two identical collaboration suites

VGA inputs and a distance communication room with dual displays and a Polycom videoconferencing unit.  In keeping with the buildings theme of collaboration, there is a corner suite that has a 90" display and two 60" displays.   These displays can work independently to allow the users to work freely on their own or joined together for a shared experience.  To help support the Medical School Community, Roger Burns has opened a premier "Help Me Now" space that has a collaboration station and a large screen LCD for user support.

Student lounge study area

The sixth floor is the home of the new student lounge.  The technology in the lounge offers the Medical Students two 70" displays with soft comfortable seating with HDMI and VGA inputs.  The center of the lounge have two 90" TV's that will have HD Programming from DirecTV so the students can be sure they have a place to watch the Wolverines take the field, catch the local news, or their favorite medical drama.  The northeast corner of the building is set up the same as the collaboration suite one floor down.  The students will have access to 15 additional small group rooms with

One of two distance
communication suites

60"displays, custom speaker system, and HDMI and VGA inputs.  If you need to connect with anyone near or far, communicate with groups near or far, then the three distance education rooms on the south hallway will have what you are looking for.  There are two rooms that are made for videoconferencing.  There is a Polycom Real Presence 700 Video conferencing system that features high definition images from the near site and farsite alike.  There are dual 90" displays for the near end and far end or content.  There are two microphone mounted to the ceiling to be sure that all discussions would be heard near and far.  For the ultimate in collaboration,

Collaboration Classroom

and teamwork, the sixth floor Collaboration Classroom has by far the most impressive blend of technology to bring teams together.  This room has a 90" LCD display for the instructor and six student 70" LCD displays for the students.  The innovative Crestron control gives the instructor the ability to partner displays to promote teamwork, or share one team display with the entire room.  The new drag and drop control technology gives this space the ultimate in flexibility.  The room is also connected to the UMMS Mediasite service for classroom recording and broadcast.

So as you wander the hallways or sit in meetings in the newly renovated THSL, it is my hope that you now have an understanding of what the 85 LCD flat panels, 90 cameras, 171 Crestron controllers, 15 digital signs, and miles and miles of HDMI, VGA and ethernet cable are doing.  

I want to take a moment to recognize and thank some people that have worked tirelessly on this project.  Chris Goosman for helping with the design, equipment and integration standards in an ever-changing landscape.  Charlotta Jared for all of the hard work and dedication bringing all of the digital signs online.  Caleb Newman and the AV Team for their help and support with room commissioning and support moving forward.  Bonnie Thomas for making the materials appear last minute no questions asked.  John Herlocher for being a stable conduit to reality.  Buzz Nau for his leadership and guidance.  Erik Alderink for firmly guiding the helm for EMS Simulation IQ and the Standardized Patient spaces.  Cindy Leavitt, Ted Hanss, Jack Kufahl and the rest of MSIS Leadership for giving me such a great canvas to paint.