VoiceBridge Updates: For good communication in a crisis

VoiceBridge Updates: Bluetooth Version and Launch of the Information Portal

In pharmacies, supermarkets, and nursing homes, interpersonal communication has changed significantly due to Corona. Necessary hygiene measures such as social distancing, face masks, and acrylic glass walls largely protect employees, customers, and visitors from droplet and aerosol infections by SARS-CoV-2, but they pose a major challenge for any conversation situation.

Difficult Consultation and Sales Discussions: Frustration on Both Sides

A typical situation at the sales counter of any business: customers try to articulate through their face masks, while sellers speak against the acrylic glass screen. Intelligibility is lost, and the consultation and sales discussion are impaired. The dilemma: to facilitate difficult communication, all parties involved must speak louder or step out to the side. This is not only strenuous, it is also dangerous, because louder speaking releases more infectious aerosols, and as soon as you bypass the screen, spit protection is no longer guaranteed.

The VoiceBridge: A Simple and Highly Efficient Intercom System

At WHD, we carefully observed the countless limitations and problems that the Corona protection measures brought with them. Equipped with the much-cited South German "inventive spirit," we developed the VoiceBridge in just a few weeks in April 2020: two small, white units that were intended to solve the problem. The VoiceBridge is an easy-to-install intercom system for acrylic glass walls with one to two speech points (depending on the version) for customers and staff, which automatically activate thanks to an infrared sensor. This automatic activation is not only a practical, but above all, a hygienic solution. The VoiceBridge operates in duplex mode, meaning that speech and listening can occur simultaneously, and a noise reduction algorithm suppresses disruptive background noise. Thanks to automatic calibration during commissioning, no further configurations need to be made, but the volume can be readjusted at any time. The speech points are attached to the acrylic glass wall with adhesive tape, the power plug is inserted – done.

Further Development Thanks to Great Success: New Sets with Bluetooth

The first generation of the VoiceBridge ("Standard") quickly became a great success, but we didn't stop there. We gratefully incorporated customer experiences and feedback into acoustic and technical improvements and into the further development as a Bluetooth version. With this VoiceBridge ("Bluetooth"), the speech point is only installed on the customer side; the staff behind the counter connect to this customer speech point with Bluetooth headsets (max. 8 per speech point). The Bluetooth version further facilitates sales and consultation discussions, because staff can now move within a radius of 5 to 10 meters in the room and maintain contact with the customer or patient, and the headset's battery life is 11 hours in continuous operation. In addition to the "VoiceBridge Standard" and "VoiceBridge Bluetooth" versions, WHD also offers a combined set with both versions.

The Agony of Choice: Information Portal and Consultation Assistant Help!

For those who find it difficult to decide between the individual VoiceBridge versions, a comprehensive information portal and a small online assistant can help. This tool asks about the circumstances and conditions of the deployment location and, after 4 answers, arrives at the optimal result. The online portal also contains detailed information on functionality and technical details; the FAQs have been expanded with valuable operating tips. A brochure of almost 30 pages summarizes all this information and is available for download. The individual sets as well as accessories such as additional headsets or batteries are also available online here.