Business profile
With a history of developing fixed safety and communication devices for rail platforms, Commend UK is embracing software sharing via mobile technology
A
light any rush hour train today and you see fellow commuters using smartphones, tablet devices and
laptop computers. Modern technology helps keep them connected, find information and graze content ‘on the go’. Similarly, mobile technology has become a more common sight in the workplace as businesses have recognised both the social and commercial advantages that mobile technology brings. Products from Commend UK’s range
already form the fabric of everyday rail life. The company produces the emergency call stations found on platforms and the information systems familiar to most commuters. With the advent of the technological revolution, the company began to focus on the practical business advantages that new hardware and software is creating. Darren Kitchener,
Commend UK’s rail specialist, said: ‘Using mobile technology for the sake of it brings little reward, however, using that same technology where it is proven to improve the efficiency and delivery of a service brings multiple benefits, and this is especially true in the railway
intercom station with the same familiar interactive user interface employed in the control room. ‘It means that staff can be on the go rather
than chained to their desk and yet still be able to respond to an alarm call. They can be in the ticket hall or on the platforms but still deal instantly with an intercom call. Their mobile device allows them to continue to monitor video surveillance as well as control gates and doors’, explained Kitchener. Commend UK technology is already
prevalent across rail networks, where the company has gained a strong reputation for speech quality and high data security. The challenge, however, remains how it can make life easier for the control room staff and in doing so improve their efficiency and response rates.
The Intercom Client for
Android retains the look of the standard Intercom Client with numeric keypad, function keys and display but the intercom station is operated intuitively via touch screen. It has a scrollable
phonebook, crystal clear speech quality (up to 7 kHz audio bandwidth on an Android device) as well as echo cancelling technology. It also has bi-directional
video so the device can not only display video from the network but its built-in camera can also be converted into an IP camera with M-JPG support so that it can be used to record an incident as it occurs. The purpose is to retain
environment.’ The primary benefit of
using mobile devices in the rail sector is that they allow staff to be mobile. This doesn’t mean to say that they are immediately reachable on the telephone but rather, that their smartphone or tablet device becomes their desktop,’ Kitchener added.
Android Intercom Client Commend UK’s own mobile and tablet application – Intercom Client for Android – transforms any android device into an
all of the best features of the desktop intercom solution
so that none of the standard functionality is compromised, while also exploiting the technological benefits of mobile devices.
Underground Help Point innovation The company is currently working to create ways to make life easier for passengers by adding in more functionality to the help point systems dotted across the rail network. In collaboration with London Underground, Commend UK is set to bring interactivity to
the Information Points found at stations. The addition of a 15 inch interactive
touch screen transforms Commend UK’s Emergency Help Point into an Information Point. The company is confident the innovation will meet the needs of passengers who want access to information on demand – something they have become used to with the internet access they experience on their smartphones, tablets and at home on their desktop PCs. The Help Point can have two fully programmable buttons for emergency and information calls to the station control room, and an IP camera can also be incorporated to give the option of two-way video between the user and station staff. However, the 6 mm touch glass front
panel and interactive screen can be used to display the train operator’s website, passenger information such as live departures and delays, and journey planning to provide passengers with ‘self find information’ to aid their journey.
The future While the company certainly has a wealth of experience in providing communications and safety solutions to the rail industry, its eye is firmly on the future.
‘Adoption of new technology is always
worth considering but it should be with a focus on benefit – whether that is improving passengers’ experience directly or improving the ease and efficiency with which staff can undertake their work,’ added Kitchener. •
Visit
www.commend.co.uk Tel 01279 872020
September 2013 Page 125
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