[labnetwork] Intercom / Paging System

[P. Scott Harris]

Hi,

Assuming that you have a wireless network in your lab, you might consider 
something simple like 'Line' or 'Viber' (free apps for Android/iOS/Windows). 
Basically they let you turn a tablet/iPod Touch/phone into a text/voice chat 
device. I can use it to talk to/chat with/message people in a lab (you can set 
each client to ring/buzz/whatever when a call/message comes in) so long as they 
have a network connection i.e. you don't need a phone connection at all. It's 
free so it would be simple enough to try - take two people with an iPod Touch 
(or whatever) and somebody on a Windows desktop and see if they can communicate 
in a useful way. If you mount a tablet of some sort to a wall (or link a display 
on the wall to a tablet) you could use it as a message board. Not useful without 
WiFi but possible worth trying.

On 2013-07-02 4:50 PM, Ryan Taylor wrote:
> Hi Everyone,
>
> I'm looking for suggestions for an intercom or paging system for use in our 
> cleanroom.  Does anybody here have any experience with specific 
> vendors/products that you would recommend or that you would suggest avoiding?  
> I'm sure the use cases are pretty obvious and universal, but these are the 
> scenarios that I'm trying to address:
>
> Possible Use Cases:
> 1. I am a PI working from my office.  I want to contact a researcher (Jane 
> Doe) in the cleanroom.  I pick up my phone, dial 555-555-5555 and receive a 
> prompt telling me that my voice is now being broadcast through out the 
> cleanroom.  I say "Jane Doe, please call me back at ...." and wait to receive 
> a call.
>
> or 2. I go to http://www.nanofab.utah.edu/pager (for example).  I am presented 
> with a form that allows me to enter a short message. The message is then 
> displayed on an LED scrolling sign in the lab for several minutes to an hour.
>
> Thanks for sharing your ideas and experiences!
>
> Ryan
>


-- 
Best regards,

P. Scott Harris, P.Eng.
H&L Associates
21 Parkmount Crescent
Nepean, Ontario K2H 5T3 Canada
Tel: (613) 828-1462