This year’s IUCN World Conservation Congress was marked by the deployment of the Brähler DIGIMIC line’s new conference system with RFID identification technology, with 1,200 microphone units CMic CSV put into service at the conference.
The CMic CSV is a fully digital microphone unit with an integrated channel selector and versatile voting functions. A high-resolution graphic OLED display shows the selected channel in the respective language or, in voting mode, displays the possible response, while the display automatically adjusts to ambient light and comes as a glare-free version.
The new version of the stand, featuring RFID functionality, was implemented at the congress. This involved giving each stand its own RFID card reader, with every card personalised or configured per seating place, depending on requirements. Each of the 1,500 delegates who attended the conference was issued with an individually printed card, and despite free choice of seating, each of the delegates was identified in the hall by his or her card.
An additional customisation came in the shape of 6 Full HD robotic cameras. Once connected to the microphone system, these enabled almost delay-free transmission of the respective speaker, both onto the projection screen and via live internet broadcast.
The conference’s state-of-the-art flair was also reflected in the requirements of the conference system. Brähler ICS developed new software especially for this event so it could handle the complicated voting and evaluation mechanisms of the IUCN statutes; the annual general meeting is divided into governmental organisations and NGOs, with each individual member having a certain voting weight which can be transferred to other members at any time. A link to the congress registration database allowed real-time alignment of any changes in voting rights and voting weights with the voting system.
The system was also used to determine the quorum of the meeting.
Each of the 1,500 delegates was handed a tablet PC by the organisers. The combination of a tablet PC for a constant flow of information and a personalised RFID card gave participants a high level of flexibility at this event.
Brähler ICS entrusted the congress to two project technicians with long-standing experience. They had already worked as on-site planners and project managers for all three previous IUCN congresses and were therefore not only well versed in their own technology but also with the IUCN’s complex body of regulations. The responsible software developer was also on hand day and night at the Brähler headquarters – after all there was a significant time difference of seven hours to be bridged.
The teams of experts on both sides were very happy with the system’s performance. Brähler’s success was also confirmed by the president of the congress. In closing the latter took the opportunity to emphasise the long-standing professional cooperation with Brähler which had contributed much to the success of the event.
The IUCN is the world’s oldest and biggest global environment network. The democratic member association incorporates around 1,500 governmental and NGO member organisations and around 10,000 contributing scientists from over 160 countries. The annual congresses debate the most urgent worldwide environmental and development topics and solutions. This year’s congress was staged in Jeju, Korea.
This year marked the fourth such occasion that Brähler was chosen as the technology provider for the IUCN World Conservation Congress.
