Vocera Communications Badge

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Vocera Communications Badge is one part of a complete proprietary wireless Voice over IP system that is provided by Vocera Communications.

Its claim to fame is the fact that it's a workable VoIP system that acts very similar to the communication badges popularized by the show Star Trek: The Next Generation and its offshoots.

Contents 1 System Components 1.1 Badges 1.2 Vocera Server 1.3 Telephony Bridge 1.4 Recognition Server 2 Installation 3 Operation and Usage 3.1 Technical Operation 3.2 Challenges 3.3 Accessories 3.4 Easter Eggs 4 Social Implications 5 History 6 External links

[edit] System Components

A basic Vocera system comprises 'badges' (wearable IP Phones), an enterprise class access point, and a Vocera Server. A complete enterprise system consists of the badges, a Vocera Server, WiFi infrastructure, a Telephony Bridge, and a reporting server for statistical tracking.

[edit] Badges

The badges are one of the most unique parts of the Vocera System. Comprising a black plastic oblong shape that's roughly 4 inches by 1.5 inches by .5 inches, the unit weighs 2-4 ounces (depending on the accessories you have attached to it). It contains a small LCD display, volume buttons, a hold/do not disturb button, and a call button. The hold/do not disturb button and the call button act as yes/no responses respectively.

When the badge is paired with a standard 4mm depth battery, it's able to stay active for about 24 hours standby combined with 2 hours of continuous talk time. Extended batteries give it more talk and standby time.

The badges are compatible with the 802.11b wireless standard, and can be configured with WEP, EAP/TLS, and TKIP encryption methods.

At this time, there are two major "generations" of badges. The original B1000 badge is easily identified because it contains no backlight. The newer B1000A badge contains a backlight, and it's various sub-generations of badges have smaller improvements to them, along with certification stickers from various regulatory agencies worldwide. All badges are identical in size, shape, weight, and accessory usage.

[edit] Vocera Server

The Vocera server is your typical Windows 2000/2003 server with a modest amount of RAM and hard drive space. Larger deployments require an installation to be clustered for higher uptime requirements beyond 98% uptime.

[edit] Telephony Bridge

This is another Windows 2000/2003 server that contains one (or more) Dialogic 12 port analog or Dialogic Digital card that attaches to a T1.

[edit] Recognition Server

A recognition server is a dedicated server for speech recognition.

[edit] Installation

Vocera installation requires a bit of planning. In order to ensure proper coverage, a complete 802.11 B wireless network comprising Cisco or other approved AP's should be installed. Vocera can be placed on its own VLAN or on an existing LAN segment.

Once the WLAN environment is stable and clean, installation of the server and its software can begin. The Server software install will place a MySQL database and the appropriate Vocera specific software on the various servers.

Badges are then configured to recognize the server's dedicated IP address.

Users are then added into the database. Individual groups and AP locations are also placed within the database itself as well. Users then can be placed into groups for mass callings.

It is important to note that a clean and accurate database entry setup will ensure a smooth operation for Vocera users. See Technical Operation for the reasons why.

[edit] Operation and Usage

One of the original things about Vocera is that it is completely voice operated.

When using a badge for the first time, the badge will be logged out. Pressing the silver call button on the front of the badge will prompt you for a first and last name. If your name is not present in the database, it will not log you in. Voice print verification for increased security can be activated as well, preventing fraudulent use by mimicking another user.

After login, operation of the badge consists of pressing the large silver call button on the front of the badge, waiting for a spoken "Vocera" prompt (hereinafter referred to as the 'Genie'), and then issuing a command in the format of "Verb - noun". Common commands can consist of "Call Jane Doe", or "Dial an outside number".

To receive a call, the badge will announce the caller, and will ask you if you want to take the call. Merely saying "yes" or "no" out loud, or pressing the call/do not disturb buttons, will make the badge accept or deny the call.

The badge is designed to be worn no more than 8 inches away from the wearer's chin against the wearer's chest. Its microphone's field of focus is designed to pick up the voice about 4 inches away from the wearer's mouth when placed properly. Various clips and attachments allow the wearer to place the badge in its most optimal and comfortable position.

[edit] Technical Operation

The Vocera Server is realistically the nerve center of the entire Vocera operation. It contains a running list of Users, Badge MAC Addresses, Access Points, their names, and their neighboring AP's names, groups the users belong into, and more.

Most importantly, the Vocera Server contains the voice recognition engine that allows you to use voice commands.

The following list encompasses the basic technical steps of a badge to badge call.

- Badge user 'A' presses the call button

- Call button opens a TCP socket to the server

- Server begins a voice recognition session to that TCP socket

- Badge user 'A' asks to talk to badge user 'Z' by saying "Call Z"

- Server recognizes "call" command as creating a badge to badge session. Looks up User 'Z'. Finds user 'Z' badge's MAC address.

- Server notifies Badge User 'Z' that they have an incoming call by opening a TCP socket to that badge, and sends a voice file that they have an inbound call.

- User 'Z' says "yes".

- Server creates a MAC address to MAC address session similar to IRC DCC Chat - Badge 'A' and Badge 'Z' accept the session

- Server disconnects from the badges

- Badges continue badge-badge session until one badge is disconnected.

For optimum results, the Vocera Server should have all AP locations and their neighbors programmed. This allows the server to do the following:

- Tell badges to hand off from one AP to another

- Locate a badge in relation to the closest AP's.

[edit] Challenges

Vocera, despite its advanced operational methodology, has its challenges. Users must be carefully trained to stay within the Vocera defined operational envelope from a speech pattern definition in order to be successful. Ironically, accented voices are able to be recognized, but the simplistic command structure pattern of "verb - noun" can't be modified, lest you get poor recognition or an admonishment from the Vocera Server.

In addition, because positioning of the unit on one's person is key, ensuring that the badge stays in its optimal position can be a challenge.

The most recent version of the Vocera software v3.0 adds several features that help to mitigate some of its shortcomings via the addition of the ability to learn how a user pronounces a name and other similar improvements.

[edit] Accessories

Various accessories allow Vocera to be used in a variety of ways. Lanyards, headsets, clips, and protective sleeves all allow increased functionality for a variety of environments.

[edit] Easter Eggs

The programmers at Vocera have included some easter eggs, like 'Beam Me Up' (plays a really bad transporter sound), and when you speak inappropriate invectives (Shut-Up or Kluck you) to the genie, the server will automatically log your badge off the system or say "I beg your pardon." Speaking the phrase "GoodBye" results in a message from Spock, Leonard Nimoy, "Live long and prosper".

[edit] Social Implications

Because of its 'tracking nature' attributed to correlation between Badge MAC addresses and the nearest AP's being placed into log files, Vocera has been both revered and reviled at the same time. Many facilities (primarily healthcare in nature) have nicknamed it "Nurse Crack" because of its addictive properties of instant communication, but are somewhat unhappy about its abilities to track someone to the nearest access point.

In reality, its tracking abilities are somewhat less than accurate, since you can be associated to another access point that is one floor above or below your actual position. Because of the general nature of 802.11 and it's ability to attach to the access point with the greatest perceived signal, tracking someone is not really possible at this time.

Many users feel that this type of communication method can be the wave of the future.

[edit] History

The brainchild of Dr. Robert Shostak, the Vocera concept was created out of a need to get a hold of people when they were away from their desks. Its intent was to act as a voice based instant messaging method to where short, brief and simple conversations would be made over small communication devices.

Original designs utilized Bluetooth as its connectivity, but subsequent designs utilized the more commonplace 802.11 networking standard.

[edit] External links

• Vocera product page: http://www.vocera.com/products/products.aspx