In what is seen as perhaps the best exemplification of make-in-India AV exploit, Hyderabad-based conference room solutions provider TechOne Innovation OPC Private Limited designed and developed a smart ceiling microphone with built-in control system. Designed and developed fully indigenously, including the components, the product has recently been awarded Patent by Government of India for its innovation.
SCM100 – as the smart ceiling microphone is called – is marketed under the company’s brand AV LINK.
SIA caught up with P S Tiwari, Founder-CEO of TechOne Innovation, to delve deep into its genesis and objective. Excerpts:
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SI Asia: Congratulations upfront. What inspired you for the initiative?
TIWARI: I have had the privilege of being professionally engaged in the AV industry for many years, assuming various roles throughout my career. My work involved close collaboration with integration partners and their technical teams, particularly in design and implementation of conference room solutions.
By sheer involvement, I developed a keen interest in the complexities of sound. I dedicated considerable time to experimenting with different types of microphones, assessing their performance across various applications and venues. This hands-on experimentation led me to understand that the selection of appropriate microphone type and its strategic placement, tailored to the specific user application, venue, and acoustic environment, are critical factors in achieving optimal audio quality.
Inspired by these insights, I embarked upon the design and development of a microphone specifically for conferencing applications, aiming at enhancing the overall audio experience in these settings.
This passionate drive actually took to action in the pre-Covid years; when we made the initial designs; evaluated the results and were sure of its quality performance, we did approach one of the leading European AV enterprises. Perhaps for sheer irony, Covid struck, and as you know, it disrupted the whole AV landscape across the world. Our interactions with the European major met the same fate.
However, we were passionate with our drive and went ahead all-alone. We used the pandemic period for further R&D. Fortunately, it all bore fruits and we had the product in hand by the pandemic eased out.
SI Asia: What are the salient features of this new microphone?
TIWARI: SCM or Smart Ceiling Microphone – as the product is called – is a unique 2×2 ceiling mountable microphone featuring dynamic gain control, and enabling audio pickup within a 15-foot radius. It is an ideal microphone for conferencing applications across diverse venues, such as boardrooms, conference rooms, training rooms, and classrooms. The microphone is compatible with any DSP processor. It includes a built-in control system for device activation and its parameter adjustments.
SI Asia: How challenging was its making, and more, getting patent on it?
TIWARI: We conducted extensive testing on several types of microphone capsules to evaluate their performance and ultimately selected the most suitable one. Our design incorporated specialized preamplification circuitry to minimize noise and ensure stable audio performance, complete with dynamic gain control. The endeavour did present numerous challenges, particularly in sourcing various electronic components. Fabricating the enclosure was the most challenging. To address these issues, we developed custom jigs and tools for testing and assembling the components.
Admittedly, the experience was both challenging and highly engaging, providing valuable insights and advancements in our design process.
Again, developing an innovative product is one, and getting it patented is the other. It requires specialized drafting skills to clearly explain the invention while protecting intellectual property. The process involves several critical steps, including thoroughly documenting the invention, conducting a comprehensive patent search to ensure its novelty, and drafting a detailed application using precise legal and technical terminology.
The examination process can be lengthy; it typically involves multiple rounds of communications with the patent office. To navigate this complex and demanding process, we took the help of a professional agency, which was instrumental in successfully obtaining and maintaining our patent.
SI Asia: You mentioned about built-in Control System- what does it mean?
TIWARI: This microphone has a built-in control system to control its parameters, and to communicate with an external control processor to activate other devices and processes based on the application.
SI Asia: How much time and money did it take for development?
TIWARI: It took approximately two years to progress from the initial concept to a functional prototype. Development remains an ongoing process, and we are currently utilizing the fourth revised version of our product. Research and development are inherently expensive endeavours, requiring extensive testing of various components, ideas, and methodologies to refine product quality. Consequently, we have invested significant time and resources into this project to ensure its success.
SI Asia: This patent is by Government of India. How about similar products in foreign markets? like the West, or the Far East?
TIWARI: Yes, we applied for a patent in India due to the relative ease and lower cost of obtaining and maintaining a patent compared to other regions globally. While there are a few similar products available in the US, Europe, and Far East markets, we are proud to be the first Indian company to design and develop this product.
SI Asia: Is the product 100 pc indigenous? If not, what components are imported, and what are manufactured locally at your plant?
TIWARI: Yes, This product is 100 per cent indigenously designed and manufactured, with all electronic components sourced from Indian suppliers and fabricated parts produced by Indian companies. We have not used any imported part or module. It is, therefore, a truly Sampoorn Swadeshi Make-In-India initiative.
SI Asia: What market segments and application areas is this product aimed at?
TIWARI: This microphone is designed for conference and surveillance applications. Currently our target market is India, especially Government, Education, and Corporate, besides small and medium enterprises in general.
SI Asia: Where do you intend to position this product? Low-end, small/medium? or high-end? How many variants of the product?
TIWARI: We are currently developing three variants of the product. Low-end, medium, and high-end variants. Lower variant, the CSM20, and the medium variant, SCM100 are already on the market; we have installed the systems for clients like NIAB Hyderabad, Bhilosa Industries Gujrat, BARC Visakhapatnam, FoxCon Chennai, IOCL Haldia, GMC Chandrapur, and Shriram Janmabhoomi Teerthkeshta Aayodhya etc. We have received positive feedback from customers, which doubly encouraged us.
SI Asia: Having achieved this, what’s the immediate job task?
TIWARI: The immediate task is to make the two existing variants available on the GeM (Government e Marketplace) portal, and rapidly develop and test the high-end variant, ensuring it meets all quality and performance standards. This includes finalizing design specifications, conducting rigorous testing, implementing quality assurance processes, coordinating production planning, and preparing for the product launch with a comprehensive marketing strategy.
