M2M Transport Solutions works with FeONIC Transport's Audio Drive technology. It provides a unique and proven solution to the problem of audible sound on transport systems.

It can be used in every aspect of transportation – on trains, trams and light rail trains, at railway stations, in metro stations, on buses and coaches, at bus stops / shelters, in airport terminals and so on – in fact, in any transport location where intelligible speech is a requirement .

The patented Audio Drive technology truly is “sound without speakers”. It overcomes all the problems associated with traditional speaker systems – poor sound quality, noise pollution, high maintenance / installation costs and being prone to vandalism – with a superior solution, at a lower cost.

This technology delivers sound locally. It is not a direct broadcast technology (as are speakers), and therefore does not suffer from problems associated with reverberation

Today Audio Drive is being built in to pilot installations on two of Europe's major Metro systems, and being trialed as part of a UK help point development which will be rolled out across bus stops and railway stations. As well as this, many other transport organisations are expressing significant interest in this exciting technology.

How does Audio Drive technology work?

Audio Drives can deliver a frequency response as wide as 63Hz to 20KHz at volumes up to and above 90dB, delivering up to 100W of power distributed over a massive area rather than being emitted from a single point source. This provides for highly intelligible voice (PA) or emergency tone only output.

Audio Drive doesn't create noise pollution for adjacent residents and businesses – the sound travels only the required distance. The ability to project sound only for the required distance is especially useful at larger stations, where announcements intended for passengers on one platform may confuse passengers on other platforms if they can hear them. Audio Drive eliminates this problem.

Audio Drives achieve plug and play compatibility with traditional 100V line signal with integrated 100V step down transformers enabling simple retrofit procedures into existing 100V systems

Audio Drives are compatible with existing audio installations as found in transport installations.

Audio Drive technology enables emergency alarm signaling, public announcement music and entertainment to be transmitted in the vicinity of the resonant panels evenly and consistently.

Audio Drive is being used for PA announcements, providing local information, voice alarm systems and for marketing and advertising by turning static LCD displays into ones which emit sound. It's easy to fit, takes up very little space, is usually built in and therefore invisible to the eye and offers cost savings over traditional speaker systems.

During 2008 successful trials were conducted to demonstrate that station signs and ceilings can be utilised as speakers using this exciting technology. The trial was conducted to show that the Audio Drive technology has many possible applications and can be driven from surfaces previously totally unconnected to sound.

Applications

Airport terminal, Railway & Metro stations present a particular challenge for traditional speaker technology. Directional speakers often produce poor sound quality, with some passengers straining to hear what's being announced and others finding it far too loud. Hard surfaces result in echoes and nearby businesses and residents suffer from noise pollution, further compounding the problems that traditional speaker technology suffers from.

The Audio Drive technology eliminates all of these problems, providing a crisp, clear sound output that passengers can hear comfortably, yet that does not cause noise pollution for adjacent residents or businesses.

PA announcements – that can be heard clearly by everyone! The Audio Drives can be discreetly sited on station signage, ceilings, windows, paneling or canopies – in fact, any hard resonant surface – to transform the surface into fantastic speakers without compromise of design aesthetics or audio sound quality. It provides a clear, high-quality, sound (which exceeds international standards on speech intelligibility) that can be heard by all passengers without discomfort or straining.

Localised PA announcements: Audio Drive can be very effectively used for localised announcements; for instance, for warning passengers that they are nearing the end of escalators.

Emergency evacuation announcements: Voice alarm systems are meant to inform and instruct passengers in the event of an emergency. Normal alarms also have extremely limited information content (on or off), whereas voice alarms can be used to deliver a wide range of potentially life-saving information.

Audio Drive technology ensures that voice alarms are much more intelligible than traditional speaker systems and can be heard in every part of a railway station – potentially saving lives.

Benefits

• Significant cost savings
• Invisibly integrated
• Low profile design
• No directional limitations
• Intelligibility exceeds European Standards for audio in public places
• Volume for volume the devices produce better audio than small speakers
• Plug and play using standard audio outputs
• The technology uses 75% less power than conventional speaker systems
• Its solid state construction means it has no moving parts and is therefore highly reliable