Northumbria University Chooses Avonic AI Tracking Solution

POLAR supplies Avonic camera systems for AV2000 installation in lecture rooms

According to the Times and Sunday Times, Northumbria University in Newcastle is ‘a leading light among the UK’s modern universities’. Recognising the University with the title of Modern University of the Year in the Good University Guide 2025, the award followed close on the heels of its University of the Year award in 2022. A research powerhouse, Northumbria hosts around 38,000 students, who study a wide range of subjects including engineering, computing, business, law, design and the arts, and is renowned for the calibre of its business-ready graduates. Notable alumni include musician Sting, Sir Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer for England, and Olympic cycling gold medal winner Victoria Pendleton.  

As part of an ongoing policy of seeking to improve its study environment, the University recently sought to invest in PTZ camera systems for two large lecture theatres at its award-winning £100 million City Campus East. The theatres, in the CCE1 building, host up to 400 attendees and are designed for both teaching and commercial hire, supporting conferences, talks, and large-scale events. The camera solution was to provide automated presenter tracking and high quality capture for live-streaming and recording.

The University consulted with Yorkshire-based integrator AV2000, AV specialists in the education, healthcare, and corporate sectors, who recommended an Avonic solution supplied by POLAR, its exclusive UK distributor. Over the course of its three-year contract as Northumbria University’s exclusive AV integrator, AV2000 has transformed and enhanced numerous teaching spaces across the campus, delivering modern, high-performance AV solutions which have significantly improved the learning experience for both faculty and students.

AV2000’s Andrew Cripwell oversaw the project:

“We recommended the Avonic product based on a hands-on evaluation of its qualities at ISE 2024 in Barcelona and its endorsement by POLAR. The University had expressed an initial preference for a different brand, but a further proof of concept demo by POLAR persuaded us that the Avonic solution was best. The smooth, high quality of its optics and strong reputation in the field convinced us that Avonic’s CamDirector Teacher Tracker software used with its PTZ cameras was a perfect fit for the Northumbria University project."

Avonic’s CamDirector Teacher Tracker is AI software which tracks a lecturer with PTZ cameras, resulting in an automatic multi-camera registration of lectures. The software is trained to detect a single presenter in a lecture room environment, and autonomously switches between overview and close-up shots depending on their movement, resulting in an engaging viewing experience on screen.

Northumbria University purchased the CD-Trac1 CamDirector Teacher Tracker Software Licence, and AV2000 equipped each lecture room with a CD500 CamDirector Teacher Tracker Software AI processing unit to process, analyse, and transmit video generated by two Avonic CM-70 20x zoom PTZ cameras it controls. Each system includes a plug and play CAP100 HDMI to USB 3.0 converter, which converts any HDMI input into an H.264 encoded USB 3.0 stream. Any source connected to the CAP100 can be used in multiple applications such as video conferencing such as Skype for Business, Zoom.us, WebEx, and more.

“The hardware installation was straightforward, with Avonic providing guidance on optimal camera positioning. Their remote support sessions were excellent and ensured that the project progressed with minimal disruption. Similarly, working with POLAR has been a consistently positive experience. Their Integrated Solutions team is highly responsive and always willing to provide technical support where needed. From early-stage recommendations through to deployment, they’ve been collaborative and proactive.”

– Andrew Cripwell, AV2000

Mark Jennings of POLAR Integrated Solutions comments:

“The video quality achieved through the use of Avonic PTZ cameras and the ingenuity of its CamDirector software is second to none. The systems work exceptionally well, enabling the University to elevate its on-screen lecture content to the highest level possible for the widest variety of uses. With more than 25 years in the business, AV2000 continue to do great work across every area of AV design, consultancy, service, maintenance, and support. We’ve enjoyed collaborating with them on numerous projects, including recent Avonic projects.”

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