Metinteractive Leads Training Rooms’ Design/Build Project for Middletown, Connecticut’s The Connection
Based in Middletown, Connecticut, The Connection offers programs that address complex community problems such as homelessness, mental illness, substance abuse and community justice rehabilitation. The agency uses evidence-based practices help individuals and families re-establish stability, while the Institute for Innovative Practice provides professional development and essential skills training. The organization received a grant from Connecticut Office of Policy and Management’s Non-Profit Grant Program to upgrade the training room at their Middletown main office.
Metinteractive, which specializes in audio, video, and IT design and integration for venues, provided project management and engineering for a design/build upgrade to the ’s training rooms. Operations Manager Jesse Alford, who served as Project Executive for this job, secured the project for Metinteractive. “I’ve been familiar with The Connection’s long-standing role in the community and realized that their vision aligned with Metinteractive’s values,” he says. “It felt like a good fit for us.”
“We wanted to upgrade our in-person and hybrid training space with better resources – it’s been on our wish list for a while,” notes Christina Liuzzo, The Connection’s Director of IT. “This grant funding enabled us to upgrade all the networking equipment at our different sites, get a lot of new computers and upgrade the training rooms. The new displays and audio are a major improvement from the monitors mounted on rolling carts we used before.”
“The upgrades we proposed were based on what happens in the space, and we selected tried, true and reliable equipment for the job,” says Metinteractive Project Supervisor Scott Tunkel. “It was a joy to see the new technology we installed make everyone’s life easier and the ability to provide training and hold meetings locally and remotely take place in as user-friendly a way as possible.”
The large space that was renovated is divisible into three rooms with foldable partitions configuring the space as needed. They are equipped for local, remote and hybrid presentations and training using common owner-furnished software, including PowerPoint, MS Teams, and Zoom. The rooms are in frequent use with new hire orientations scheduled every two weeks.
When the rooms are divided, content is displayed on a flat panel permanently mounted in each room. When the rooms are combined, any source may be selected for display on one or multiple monitors as desired. Video calls utilizing OFE conferencing software use the microphones, cameras and speakers in the room. Ceiling-mounted microphone arrays (one per room) use advanced technology to track the location of the speaker in the room to isolate their voice and substantially reduce background noise and echo. The technology also guides the selection and positioning of the camera. Optical detection in the cameras frames the presenter to optimize the image shown to the far end.
Presentation sources in each room include an OFE PC (located in the server room) with a wireless keyboard and mouse for use by the presenter; a wall-plate HDMI connection for laptops and other portable devices; and a wireless presentation system for tablets and other devices with a WiFi connection. The wall-plate also has a USB3.0 connection to connect the room’s AV system to a video conference call hosted on the laptop.
A wall-mounted touch panel in each room provides presenters and staff with an easy-to-use GUI to select the source to be displayed on screen, the audio volume level in the room and the ability to combine rooms when the foldable partitions are opened.
When the space is divided into three rooms, the end room includes a ceiling-mounted projector and projection screen. The end and middle rooms have wall-mounted 86-inch flat panel displays, which replace smaller displays and smartboards. The smallest room is outfitted with a 75-inch flat panel. Mersive Solstice systems provide WiFi connectivity.
The rooms feature wall-mounted Q-SYS sound bars under the displays for program audio playback. Sonance ceiling-mounted speakers reinforce program audio as well as far-end audio; Shure beam-forming ceiling mic arrays pick up speech for transmission to the far end.
Q-SYS video cameras at the front and rear of the rooms deliver a view of the instructor’s presentations. An additional camera in the end room captures a view of the presenter when the room is in combined mode, and the orientation is along the long axis of the room. Touch screen control is also via Q-SYS.
“We tried to use as much Q-SYS equipment as possible since we have seen how solid it can be from cameras to sound bars to network video endpoints,” says Tunkel. “It was definitely able to meet our expectations and work effectively for the client.”
Anja Kerkapoly, Metinteractive’s Lead Technician, programmed the Q-SYS audio and touch panel control. “I tried to create a fun and intuitive user interface for the rooms users,” she says. “It’s always nice to get a project like this where you can give back by supporting an organization that helps others in the community.”
Metinteractive has provided excellent support and customer service throughout the process, including opportunities to properly train The Connection’s staff on the new equipment. “This project reflects our commitment to innovation and excellence in service delivery. With these new tools, we’re better equipped to train, collaborate, and grow—ultimately improving outcomes for the individuals and families we support,” says The Connection’s CEO, Lisa DeMatteis-Lepore. “Metinteractive brought not only technical expertise but also a deep understanding of our values. Their team worked alongside ours with care and precision, and the result is a space that truly supports our work.”
About Metropolitan interactive, Ltd. (DBA Metinteractive)
Metinteractive is a unique design and systems integration firm specializing in the development of immersive digital environments and entertainment systems in public and private spaces. Based in Oxford, Connecticut, Metinteractive is a Women-Owned Business Enterprise with additional offices in New York, West Virginia and Nebraska. For more information, please visit www.metinteractive.com.
About The Connection: Founded more than 50 years ago, The Connection is a statewide human services nonprofit agency providing unique solutions to the problems of homelessness, mental illness, substance use, and community justice rehabilitation. The Connection has founded a social enterprise, The Institute for Innovative Practice, which provides quality professional development, training, and consultation to help people, communities, and organizations meet their mission. The proceeds from The Institute are reinvested into The Connection’s programs. Find out more information on our website: https://www.theconnectioninc.org/.