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DE GROTE AANRAAKSCHERMEN VAN CTOUCH VERBETEREN DE SAMENWERKING IN DE VERGADERZAAL

THE LARGE TOUCHSCREENS OF CTOUCH IMPROVE COLLABORATION IN THE MEETING ROOM

Posted by Olga Koltsova | Feb 23, 2019 |

The large touchscreens from CTOUCH enhance collaboration in the meeting room.
"The iPhone was introduced in 2007. Since then, a touchscreen has become so common that it is taken for granted," says Bernard Gosselink, CFO of CTOUCH. The Eindhoven-based company CTOUCH produces interactive displays - the kind of displays found in classrooms and meeting rooms of companies. "However, a touchscreen on a smartphone is not the same as the touchscreen in a classroom or meeting room. It is important to always consider the added value of a touchscreen in these situations. CTOUCH focuses on applications of touchscreen technology that help people collaborate in a more comfortable and professional manner."

In 2010, the company started producing interactive displays for the classroom environment - touchscreens gradually made their way to schools and universities in the Netherlands and other countries, gradually replacing interactive whiteboard solutions. Now, in 2019, CTOUCH's priority is the development of touch solutions that are more suitable for a business environment.

Ook in het kantoor van CTOUCH bevinden zich aan de wand van de vergaderzaal overal touchscreens. Tijdens ons interview met de schermen in standby-modus zien we een kalender – Gosselink geeft er commentaar op: "Zoals je kunt zien, heeft deze persoon hier op 4 februari een vergadering: hij heeft deze geboekt via zijn Microsoft Outlook-kalender en iedereen kan nu zien dat de ruimte op deze dag geboekt wordt." De touchscreens werken ook als een interactief whiteboard. De slimme software bewaart wat de gebruikers hebben opgeschreven, het volgt wat er al gedaan is om de eindgebruiker te helpen beter georganiseerd te zijn. De bedrijfs-touchscreens zijn ook ontworpen voor videoconferenties – zelf gebruiken ze Skype voor dat doel. Elke CTOUCH interactieve display heeft zijn eigen Skype-adres – Gosselink zegt dat deze manier handiger en professioneler is dan het gebruik van persoonlijke Skype-accounts. "Nu hebben we een product voor de zakelijke omgeving dat volledig Skype for Business-georiënteerd is (voor Skype for Business of Office 365)", zegt Gosselink. "Momenteel integreert Microsoft de Office 365 en Skype to Teams platforms, maar met onze technologie kun je, als voor Skype for Business hebt gekozen, nog steeds eenvoudig overstappen naar Microsoft Teams", aldus Gosselink.

And not only the software can be easily changed in the interactive displays of CTOUCH. Gosselink says that the interactive displays are built with modules that can be replaced as technology advances. "For example, if you need to use a new operating system, you can replace the chip in the screen. In the development of our screens, we keep in mind what kind of details may need to be replaced in the coming years. The touch panel is the most expensive element and this is the part that should last the longest without replacement.

CTOUCH does not focus on one technology, but on a combination of technologies in one solution, says Gosselink: "We work closely with Barco, Microsoft, JBL. For example, we have worked with JBL on a professional sound system, so that you do not need to use additional speakers with our interactive displays. We collaborate with software companies to make our product more complete. We are not inventors in terms of building something from scratch, but we make every effort to create one product that meets the needs of end users."

"The screen helps you"

Because CTOUCH's goal is to truly meet the needs of users, a lot of energy is devoted to the user-friendliness of the products - with an intuitively understandable interface. "When you come to the screen, you immediately see how to use it. The screen helps you - for example, if you are a little nervous during an important presentation," says Gosselink. The company is also always looking for feedback from end users, for example through focus groups in different areas. "We are small, so it is easy for us to meet customer needs in the form of our products. We also often work with students - for example, with Fontys University of Applied Sciences in Eindhoven and Delft University of Technology. We are interested in the ideas and opinions of students because all this feedback helps us improve our products: in particular, to make the interfaces more convenient and understandable for the end user."

In 2018, the company moved to Strijp-T in Eindhoven, an urban area also known as the cradle of the Brainport region: Philips started there over 125 years ago. The CFO of CTOUCH sees Strijp-T as a favorable area for the work and growth of high-tech companies: both because of the many opportunities for close collaboration and for practical reasons, such as the proximity to the city center and the good accessibility of the offices by all types of transportation.

Source.