AUGUST 21--Mechdyne Corp. (Marshalltown, IA;www.mechdyne.com) has completed a state-of-the-art auditorium (Mechdyne Large Venue Solution) for the Iowa State University College of Engineering. Located in Howe Hall, the auditorium is one of the first to offer the cutting-edge technology required for virtual-reality presentations. It also features data connections to multiple remote sites, offering extraordinary collaboration opportunities.
Mechdyne worked with the building's architectural team to ensure that the new auditorium and its requirements were well integrated with the building's original design. "What began as a standard auditorium evolved into an extremely high-end facility with state-of-the-art technology and unparalleled collaborative capabilities," said Chris Clover, Mechdyne's president/CEO.
The auditorium features five outbound and three inbound audio/video fiberoptic connections, enabling videoconferencing with multiple outside sites, such as the Iowa Communications Network, Iowa's educational videoconferencing network that reaches nearly 800 classrooms statewide. "This new auditorium will significantly enhance our distance-learning opportunities," said Paul Jewell, program coordinator for the Department of Engineering Distance Education. "Virtual-reality applications are vital to the development of the next generation of e-learning products, and this auditorium will provide an outstanding facility for that development process."
