In the tracks of the corona pandemic, it is becoming increasingly common for physical meetings to be suspended or postponed. More and more people are also starting to look at the possibility of rescheduling and conducting digital meetings. In RISE fire lab in Borås, fire tests are conducted at a distance where the customer participates via streamed video.
– "We see the benefits of conducting distance tests for both us and our customers - and not just during the corona pandemic," says Morgan Lehtinen, project manager at RISE.
When the corona pandemic broke out and travel bans were introduced in many European countries, the team working at RISE Fire Lab had to find a solution that still enabled vital tests to be conducted. The answer? Streamed video from inside the lab, which allows the customer to participate remotely and see how the tests are conducted.
– "We had started discussing the possibilities of allowing customers to participate in the distance tests already, so we had a knowledge advantage, says Morgan Lehtinen. The pandemic meant that we had to put our plans into practice".
Simple technology and improved security
With relatively simple technology (a computer, some cameras and a software for live streaming), RISE can now let customers participate in the tests. In addition to not having to postpone a planned test, the digital solution also provides other benefits, such as reduced travel costs (and thus reduced environmental impact) for the customer and the opportunity for more people to participate in the test at the same time. In the lab in Borås, it will also be easier to work with security.
– "After all, we work with fairly risky things, says Morgan Lehtinen. If we do happen to have an over-ignition in the lab and need to evacuate quickly, it is safer for customers to be in another location".
I think the most important thing to think about is privacy
Monitoring for accurate results
Monitoring of the test is also possible via the live-streaming solution. With the help of a good camera mobile phone, technicians at the customer can check that everything in the lab is mounted and prepared properly before the test is performed.
– "At one point we had clients from Austria and Belgium, and a controller from Gothenburg who could monitor the test and see that everything was done correctly, says Morgan Lehtinen. In the end, everyone was very pleased. This technology is not something that we will stop using when the corona pandemic is over, it is here to stop".
Privacy is important to keep in mind
A few things, however, Morgan Lehtinen wants to highlight as worthy of consideration for anyone who would like to set up a corresponding solution in their business.
– "I think the most important thing to think about is privacy, being aware of how the platform you use handles, for example, recorded material. Then it is important to make sure that the equipment used can handle the task, especially the computer that will handle the live broadcast. It takes a lot of computing power to make everything work. But once you have solved privacy and performance, it is just driving, daring to test and see that it is not so complicated after all, Morgan Lehtinen concludes".
At the time of writing, RISE is working to offer the technology with meetings and tests at a wider distance to our customers. If you are interested in this, contact your representative at RISE or contact us at info@ri.se.