SMART Technologies showcased its latest lineup of solutions and services at FETC (Future of Education Technology Conference) on January 14-17, 2020 and Bett (the British Educational Training & Technology Show) in London from January 22 – 25, 2020.

Visitors to the technology tradeshows were among the first to experience the ToolSense™ innovation, along with SMART’s entire new lineup of interactive flat panels.

“The fact that we can incorporate tactile learning objects brings a new level to hands-on learning in the classroom and makes it accessible for everyone.” said Nicholas Svensson, SMART Technologies Executive Vice President & Operations Officer. 

Attendees visited “The Teaching Tech Zone” for a fully interactive experience or stopped by SMART’s stand NH2o to experience the ToolSense innovation for a chance to spin the wheel and win a SMART Board 6000S interactive display. SMART’s Seminar Spotlight “Time Saving Tech Hacks for Teachers” offered educators tips and tricks for using technology to save time in the classroom.   

At FETC, attendees joined the SMART team in booth #2813 along with special guests from Divine Savior Academy and the School District of Palm Beach County to explore the 2020 classroom ecosystem and ways to boost engagement. 

Available in 65-, 75- and 86-inch models, LG has a TR3BF interactive digital whiteboard for any size classroom. The boards put together large Ultra-High Definition (UHD) displays that can show 3,840 by 2,160 resolution with an accurate infrared system that can work with up to 20 simultaneous finger or stylus touch inputs. With on-screen erasing and the ability to communicate with up to 30 students at once, the board is great for annotating maps, adding comments or voting on classroom items. Regardless of size, each board can accommodate a PC, has a multitude of inputs and a built-in Web browser.

Lafayette School Corporation in Indiana, a 1:1 tablet computer district, is dedicated to educating its students through a thoughtful approach to learning and investing in technology. Lafayette recently determined its aging touch boards and displays were no longer reliable in every classroom. 

“Ten years is a really long time in technology years and our failing classroom audio/video systems were starting to be really expensive to service and maintain. We wanted to upgrade the experience with a solution that would truly work for our students and staff and make an impact,” said Li Zhao, Chief Technology Officer at Lafayette School Corporation. 

Over a two-year period of looking at interactive displays, Zhao tested six different makes and models. The objective was to find a solution that not only had to meet the demand for whiteboard technology, but also provide high-quality imaging for the school’s robust IPTV and digital signage network. 

The district selected BenQ’s RP Series interactive flat panels (IFP) after testing more than 40 65-inch IFPs installed across eight schools.

The RP Series of IFPs offers features intended to encourage engagement inside and outside of the classroom. Using cloud-based collaboration combined with BenQ’s EZwrite 5.0 platform, the IFP allows teachers and students to share ideas, notes, opinions, and make annotations on screen captures from any app, video, website, document, or image. Regardless of location, all participants can also make annotations on the screen from their personal devices. Teachers can download and upload files to cloud services such as One Drive or Dropbox directly from their screens. For Lafayette, enabling simple integrations allowed for HDMI inputs to the teacher’s laptop, Apple TV, a Wi-Fi wireless presentation dongle, and a DVD player. 

“All the ports are right there on the front, which was one of our requirements,” said Zhao. “When they’re on the side of up front, it grants quick access. If they’re in back, it’s really awkward trying to plug them in or troubleshoot any issues. It’s a simple design element that in our testing really stood out.” 

The IFPs also come with dual pens permitting two users to write or draw simultaneously with different color at the same time. Within Brush Mode, participants can use a physical paintbrush while the handwriting recognition feature converts written text, numbers, forms, and drawings into legible digital text without having to switch modes. 

Other features include:

• Anti-glare, bacteria-resistant screen
• CO2 air-quality sensor monitors the CO2 concentration level in classrooms
• Smart Eye-Care technology, which is certified to remove the blue light and flicker. 
• Voice Assistant allows teachers to start a timer or search the internet anywhere in the classroom

For Lafayette, BenQ IFPs have become the standard. More than 125 units were installed in all eight of their elementary schools, including the district’s new elementary school where BenQ’s 75-inch 4K IFP was integrated into each of the school’s 36 classrooms. The RP Series IFP were also installed in three high school special education classrooms. Each building also has access to a BenQ IFP installed on a mobile cart to provide the collaboration tools in other areas or to operate as a backup.  As the Lafayette district continues to grow, the technology department is examining other areas where the BenQ technology could be useful. Most recently, the school opened up a new career center and plans are underway to install the panels into the support space.

Del Valle Independent School District (DVISD) in Del Valle, Texas, had its eye on the future when it opened the Newton Collins Elementary School. In addition to displays for the new building, the district was exploring displays for a new high school career and tech ed (CTE) building, as well as alternatives to the projectors that were reaching end of life in classrooms throughout the district. 

The district installed a 70-inch RP704K in a fourth-grade math classroom for a six-month trial. The panel provided Germ-Resistant Screens, Low Blue Light, Flicker-Free, and Anti-Glare technologies. 

“We took time exploring our options, but we were sold on BenQ,” said Todd Gratehouse, CTO at Del Valle ISD. “It provided the infrastructure to support our current devices such as our Chromebooks as well as those we might use going forward. We weren’t limited by what sources we could connect. Teachers simply plug their laptop in via USB, and with InstaQShare, we also have wireless capabilities. On top of that, we could trust that our students and staff’s eyes were being safeguarded from the effects of screen use as the IFP becomes a common tool in our classrooms. BenQ raised the bar on the whole experience.” 

Other features include:

•  BenQ IFP pens allow teachers to work directly at the screen
• The RP704K’s handwriting recognition feature converts any handwritten text, numbers, forms, and drawings into legible material for students to read.
• 20 simultaneous points of touch
• Floating toolbar grants quick access to the most-used tools
• Screen annotations can be saved as PDF or PNG files onto a USB drive or internal memory, printed, and shared via QR code,

Since Newton Collins Elementary School opened, Del Valle has installed additional IFPs within some renovated classrooms at the high school and the high school’s new career technology innovation wing as well as three offices within the district’s administrative building. With a range of connectivity options, many devices can be connected to the IFPs including a Lumens’ Ladibug document camera in addition to each classroom’s Chromebook. The BenQ IFPs within the new elementary school were installed on IFP carts with an electronic lift to allow every student access to the display and encourage collaboration. 

Ji Shen, CEO of Hovercam, takes Tech & Learning's Kevin Hogan through an educational technology product that transforms the classroom into a more immersive environment with the Pilot X interactive flat panel allowing wireless collaboration between teachers and students. Find out more details on this and the Ultra 10 product.

BenQ announced today its lineup of classroom solutions that will be featured in booth 935 at ISTE 2019 taking place June 24-26 in Philadelphia. BenQ will host live demonstrations of its family of RP Series Interactive Flat Panels (IFP), Blue Core 4K UHD HDR laser projectors, PointWrite™ interactive technology, and the newly launched secure and software-free WDC10-C USB-C InstaShow™ wireless presentation system.

BenQ's premium RP Series IFPs feature capabilities that minimize the risks associated with prolonged screen time. The 4K UHD IFP lineup includes the 65" RP6501K, 75" RP7501K and 86" RP8601K to fit any big or small classroom. The IFPs include an anti-glare, bacteria-resistant screen that kills most germs accumulating on the screen's surface; a CO2 air quality sensor that monitors the CO2 concentration level; and BenQ's Smart Eye-Care technology, which is certified to remove the blue light and flicker that can cause eye strain and CVS-related eye problems. Capable of voice control via remote, the cloud-enabled IFPs allow teachers and students to share ideas, notes and opinions; and make annotations on screen captures from any device.

BenQ will also feature the first HDR laser projector with 4K UHD resolution. The short-throw LK953ST produces 3840 x 2160 resolution with 8.3 million distinct pixels for each frame, achieving CTA's UHD standard. The projectors generate 5,000 lumens of intense Blue Core laser-powered brightness for 20,000 hours of maintenance-free operation.

Offering an alternative to traditional lamp-based projectors and delivering optimized visuals and energy efficiency, BenQ has a full lineup of Blue Core laser projectors designed to fit any learning environment. The interactive ultra-short-throw WXGA (1280 x 800) LW890UST, full HD LH890UST (1920 x 1080) and the short-throw WXGA (1280 x 800) LW820ST are K-12 laser projectors from the Blue Core family that can be configured for either pen or touch interactivity. When combined with BenQ's PointWrite™ kit, the system provides the classroom with an interactive surface 

The BenQ WUXGA LU950 and WXGA LW720 Blue Core laser projectors will also be on display, delivering up to 5,000 ANSI lumens of brightness without lamps, filters or color decay. Both projectors feature BenQ's DustGuard technology that hermetically seals the laser engine from dust to prolong the projectors' lifespan.

At the show, BenQ will feature the new WDC10C UBC-C model of its InstaShow wireless presentation system. Enabling BYOD classrooms, InstaShow allows multiple presenters to lead from any device. It is designed to host up to 16 presenters at a time and is interoperable with any OS or hardware platform while ensuring absolute data security through WPA2-PSK protection with AES 128-bit encryption. The new WDC10C model expands the system's compatibility to devices utilizing USB-C and Thunderbolt 3.

More information on the full line of BenQ products is available at https://business-display.BenQ.com/.

Peerless-AV announces its family of new SmartMount® Motorized Height Adjustable Carts and Stands for education settings. 

SmartMount® Motorized Height Adjustable Flat Panel Cart (SR598ML3E)

·  Display height can be adjusted up to 25.6" (650mm) with the touch of a button
·  Maneuvers easily on 4" (102mm) swivel casters, two locking
·  Pre-assembled base and casters provides rigidity, stability, and quick assembly
·  Textured black powder coat finish helps hide fingerprints and dust
·  Display adaptor fits from 200 x 200 to 800 x 600mm mounting patterns
·  Safety limit switch automatically reverses direction and stops when a collision is detected in an upward, downward or lateral force
·  Corded handset never needs batteries and is never lost
·  UL962 and UL1678 listed, ADA compliant 

SmartMount® Motorized Height Adjustable Tabletop Cart (SR598ML3T)

·  Display height can be adjusted up to 25.6" (650mm) with the touch of a button, making this solution ADA compliant
·  Safety limit switch automatically reverses direction and stops when a collision is detected in an upward, downward, or lateral force
·  Universal display adaptor fits mounting patterns from 200 x 200mm to 800 x 600mm
·  Open frame display adaptor helps prevent display input interference
·  Rear enclosure provides storage for mini PCs, such as Shuttle, Dell OptiPlex Micro, HP 260 G2, Lenovo M600 Tiny or Intel NUC, and includes mounting locations for external WiFi antennas
·  Includes Peerless-AV® PVP1100-CPL6 6 outlet Power Strip with 15ft cord and 2160 joule rating (15A, 120V, 1800W, EMI/RFI noise filtering)
·  Corrugated cable pathways route and protect cabling during display movement and positioning
·  Cord wrap included for managing surge protector cord
·  Corded handset never needs batteries and is never lost

SmartMount® Motorized Height Adjustable Stand/Wall Mount (SS598ML3)

·  Pre-assembled base provides rigidity, stability and quick assembly
·  Solution can rest on the floor or be bolted directly to the floor or wall
·  Display adaptor fits from 200 x 200 to 800 x 600mm mounting patterns
·  Clean aesthetic with rear wall plate allowing for mounting of surge protector or mini PC and bottom shelf storage
·  Safety limit switch automatically reverses direction and stops when a collision is detected in an upward, downward or lateral force
·  Display height can be adjusted up to 25.6" (650mm) with the touch of a button
·  Corded handset never needs batteries and is never lost

Peerless-AV® today announced the launch of its SmartMount® Motorized Height Adjustable Flat Panel Cart (SR598ML3E) for education applications.

The latest version of the Motorized Height Adjustable Flat Panel Cart integrates the use of actuators, making it easy for educators and students to raise and lower touch-enabled displays. The cart is designed for education settings and interacts with touch-enabled technology.

The Motorized Height Adjustable Flat Panel Cart is ADA-compliant, providing display height adjustment up to 25.6". The Motorized Height Adjustable Flat Panel Cart is UL962/1678 listed and features a safety limit function, which automatically reverses direction when a collision is detected in an upward, downward, or lateral force.    

The Motorized Height Adjustable Flat Panel Cart offers multiple accessories, including a laptop tray, video conferencing shelf, six-outlet surge protector, PC mounting plate, and power cord manager.

Peerless-AV’s SmartMount® Motorized Height Adjustable Flat Panel Cart is available now through Peerless-AV direct sales representatives and authorized distribution networks.

For more information about Peerless-AV’s SmartMount® Motorized Height Adjustable Flat Panel Cart, visit peerless-av.com/en-us/professional/products/sr598ml3e.

BenQ will feature its display solutions for education at the 2019 Texas Computer Education Association (TCEA) Convention and Exposition, Feb. 4-8 at the Henry B. González Convention Center in San Antonio. In booth 1562, BenQ will show educators interactive flat panels, laser projectors and collaboration solutions that aim to help transform the learning experience for every student.

RP Series IFPs 

The 4K UHD IFP lineup includes the 65" RP6501K, 75" RP7501K and 86" RP8601K to fit any big or small classroom. The IFPs include an anti-glare, bacteria-resistant screen that kills most germs accumulating on screen surfaces; a CO2 air quality sensor that monitors the CO2 concentration level in classrooms; and BenQ's Smart Eye-Care technology, which is certified to remove the blue light and flicker that can cause eye strain and CVS-related eye problems.  The cloud-enabled IFPs can be voice- and remote-controlled.

Blue Core laser projectors
The interactive ultra-short-throw WXGA (1280 x 800) LW890UST, full HD LH890UST (1920 x 1080) and the short-throw WXGA (1280 x 800) LW820ST are the first interactive K-12 laser projectors from the new Blue Core family that can be configured for either pen or touch interactivity. The short-throw WUXGA LU951ST, WUXGA LU950, full HD LH720, WXGA LW720 and XGA LX720 deliver up to 5,000 ANSI lumens of brightness and high contrast without lamps, filters or color decay. All projectors have been designed with BenQ's DustGuard technology, including sealed laser modules to protect the laser bank.  BenQ's LK953ST and LK952 laser projectors are the latest addition to the Blue Core family. They are the first 4K UHD HDR projectors designed to deliver razor-sharp images and support the 4K HDR output of premium notebooks that are becoming the standard for users in huddle rooms and other collaborative business spaces.

BenQ's new InstaShow WDC20 wireless presentation system is a software-free solution that allows multiple presenters to lead from any device. The plug-and-play operation is compatible with any OS or hardware platform. BenQ features Open Pluggable Specification (OPS), which helps schools standardize the design and development of their devices and pluggable media players.

More information on the full line of BenQ products is available at www.BenQ.com.

Vivitek will showcase its BYOD solutions with the NovoConnect range.

The NovoTouch wireless collaborative flat panel solution offers an all-in-one option for the classroom and students. The NovoTouch multi-touch platform is Android-based and can accommodate wireless connectivity from mobile devices or laptops with Windows, MacOS, iOS or Android operating systems.

Vivitek’s NovoCast - a standalone wireless BYOD collaboration system that can be combined with any existing screen or projector allows a split screen display from four devices. All NovoConnect solutions feature digital annotation and voting-polling capabilities as well as teacher preview.

Vivitek’s NovoDS Solution is a  signage tool which, with the NovoDS Cloud service, can publish real-time info to display screens anywhere on the campus. Power on and connect the NovoDS devices to the internet, then users can monitor, control, and upload and refresh content to any of the devices in their cloud, from anywhere at any time.

Visitors to the Vivitek’s stand will be able to experience the Qumi projector series. The portable HD LED projector offers a range of capabilities, high quality picture and built in wireless connectivity. The Qumi range is compact and features a built-in battery. 

Also on display will be the DH4661Z Full HD laser solid-state illuminated projector, which has been developed for large screen projection in smaller spaces. 

The eyes are essential to learning. They help the brain retain information and decipher communication cues that are necessary for collaboration. But as the modest schoolhouse blackboard gives way to interactive flat panels (IFPs) as the new gold standard for increasing engagement and success in the classroom, prioritizing eye health is more important than ever before. IFPs as well as other digital screen technology and electronic devices are a source of strong blue light waves that are hazardous to staff and students’ eyes and overall health.

On the lighting spectrum, blue light sits right next to the familiar UV rays that are produced by the sun and other powerful light sources. UV rays are invisible electromagnetic rays, the harmful effects of which can easily be prevented by slipping on a pair of sunglasses. Blue light, however, is short, high-energy visible (HEV) wavelengths. Because the rays are shorter, they flicker more frequently than UV rays causing glare that reduces visual contrast and sharpness.

While blue light can be beneficial in small doses — helping regulate the body’s wake and sleep cycles, moods, energy, memory, and attention — in excess, it causes eyestrain, headaches, physical and mental fatigue. The shorter HEV rays penetrate the eye more deeply than a UV ray and prolonged exposure has been linked to retinal damage and macular degeneration. But that’s not all. According to a study published by Environmental Health Perspectives, a peer-reviewed journal published by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, exposure to blue light may increase the risk of cancer.

Consumers are taking notice of the importance of shielding their eyes from blue light and the mobile device world has responded by touting the benefits of putting away devices and even created a night mode that switches off hazardous blue light. Unfortunately, screen use in the classroom is only increasing as the benefits of interactivity and collaboration proliferate.

To understand blue light, you first have to understand the science of eyesight. Eyes are the windows to the environment. Because of eyesight, the brain can collect, understand, and store information. The steps to this process first begins when light enters the eye. The pupil and iris widen and constrict, depending on the amount of light present, which then travels through the lens and the cornea. The lens and cornea focus the light onto the back of the eye where the retina — the area of the eye at risk for damage from blue light emissions — resides and is translated into color information. From there, the brain takes over to tell the person what they’re looking at. Healthy eyes are essential for this to happen and for allowing students to be engaged and work most efficiently and productively in the classroom.

Now schools, like consumers, can do something about the effects of blue light. TÜV Rheinland, a professional certification organization and the world’s leading authority on display testing, has developed a display-specific Low Blue Light testing standard that measures a display’s blue light intensity, wavelength, and on-screen flickering. To be verified as meeting these important safety and performance aspects for users, certified flat panels undergo and pass this stringent testing. New IFPs featuring low blue light filtering effectively eliminate the harmful blue light emissions to keep teachers and students eyes healthy while they work.

It’s inevitable that students will only be increasing their time in front on interactive flat panels, but eye problems and risk for other health issues don’t have to be the price of learning. Schools can equip their classrooms with the technology that can protect, making a huge difference in overall health while fostering active learning opportunities.

Bob Wudeck serves as Senior Director, Business, Education, & CinePro Solutions for BenQ, a leading global visual display solutions provider. He can be reached at Bob.Wudeck@BenQ.com.

Even projection display hardware needs to be evaluated through the lens of its impact on student learning. Educators know that interactive collaboration impacts the classroom environment by shifting the mode of teaching and increasing student engagement.

What are the key factors that districts should be aware of when choosing new classroom display options?

In this white paper you will learn:

• Why display size matters – the 4/6/8 Rule
• The impact of interactivity on student engagement
• Creating a cost-effective digital ecosystem that supports learning

Click here to read the full white paper.