Aug. 10, 2009
School Corporation Using Indiana Alert Technology
FOWLER and WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - A newly installed crisis notification technology from Sensory Ventures will alert Benton Community School Corp. students, teachers and administrators, and first responders to emergencies.
"Officials of the Benton Community School Corp. respect the traditions of our community, but we also want to move forward and become proactive in every aspect of education and school safety," said Destin Haas, principal of Benton Central Jr.-Sr. High School in Oxford, Ind. "We want this school corporation to be on the cutting edge of innovative programs that are educationally sound and will assist with school safety."
Sensory Ventures LLC, located at the Purdue Research Park, has implemented its DocuChannel™ technology throughout the corporation's buildings. The technology will be in place for the 2009-2010 academic year. The technology sends notifications to classroom computers, television systems and other electronic devices. The company has provided software and service to enable mass notification throughout the corporation's buildings as well as devices to interrupt projectors and video signals to display emergency messages.
Travis Brant, owner and president of Sensory Ventures, said the technology can be used every day.
"The DocuChannel™ technology brings added value by including features like digital signage and document distribution, which can be used on an everyday basis," Brant said. "We all hope the technology won't be needed as an emergency notification system, but the benefit of DocuChannel is that it can be used as a communication method for other types of announcements like extracurricular activities or special programs."
The added value was one of the reasons that corporation officials partnered with Sensory Ventures.
"We do not have cable or satellite TV in our classrooms," Haas said. "During the presidential election, we could not view it throughout the school. With this system, we will have the chance to view newsworthy events. We also will be able to program scrolling announcements like messages for students about being drug free and safe school information during and after the school day."
The technology will be used in Benton Central Jr.-Sr. High School and Prairie Crossing Elementary in Oxford, Boswell Elementary School in Boswell, Otterbein Elementary School in Otterbein, and the school's administration office in Fowler.
About Sensory Ventures:
Sensory Ventures is the exclusive rights holder for the DocuChannel platform. DocuChannel saves lives through mass distribution of critical information to millions of people and electronic devices worldwide within one minute.
About Purdue Research Park:
The 725-acre Purdue Research Park has the largest university-affiliated business incubation complex in the country. The park is home to more than 160 companies. About 100 of these firms are technology-related and another 39 are incubator businesses. The Purdue Research Park is part of the Purdue Research Foundation, a private, nonprofit foundation created to assist Purdue University in the area of economic development. In addition to the Purdue Research Park in West Lafayette, the foundation has established technology parks in other locations around Indiana including Merrillville, New Albany and Indianapolis.
To the Purdue Research Park, http://www.purdueresearchpark.com
Source: Purdue Research Park
Oct. 23, 2008
Emergency notification program unveiled at Indianapolis area high school
BEECH GROVE, Ind., and WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Sensory Ventures LLC, will
unveil a new emergency notification plan that alerts administrators,
teachers and students of a physical or armed attack, such as the 1999
Columbine High School tragedy.
The notification system will be demonstrated at 9 a.m. today (Oct. 23)
at Beech Grove High School, 5330 Hornet Avenue, Beech Grove, Ind.
The communication program takes control of classroom computers,
projectors, television systems and other electronic devices to alert
users and viewers of a potentially dangerous situation.
The idea for the product was developed during discussions with
information technology leaders at Purdue University exploring options
for communicating to groups in large, decentralized settings.
"The program fills in the gaps of traditional notification systems by
reaching individuals in locations where wireless devices like cell
phones do not work or are not allowed," said Travis Brant, owner and
president of Sensory Ventures. "The plan is part of the Safe Schools
program by Sensory Ventures."
The demonstration will be conducted in association with the
Hewlett-Packard Company and Sensory Ventures, a Purdue Research
Park-based company that created the technology. The system uses the
DocuChannel(tm) network to power this new method of mass notification.
"This communication networking tool is important for us. We are pleased
to be part of a new technology created in Indiana, especially when it
contributes to the safety of our students," said Steve Cox, principal of
Beech Grove High School. "We see this as an amazing opportunity to
communicate with our teachers, staff and students, as well as parents,
community members and first responders in the event of crises."
The DocuChannel network runs over standard Internet connections.
"It is easy for us to operate and maintain the DocuChannel network
because control is done through a Web site and there is no software to
install," Cox said.
About Sensory Ventures:
Sensory Ventures LLC specializes in the development of digital
distribution systems while maintaining exclusive rights for program
management throughout the DocuChannel(tm) network.
About Purdue Research Park:
The 725-acre Purdue Research Park (http://www.purdueresearchpark.com)
has the largest university-affiliated business incubation complex in the
country. The park is home to more than 140 companies. About 90 of these
firms are technology-related and another 39 are incubator businesses.
The park was ranked No. 1 in 2004 for university-affiliated research
parks and received the 2005 Outstanding Commercialization Award, both
from the Association of University Research Parks. The park's companies
also have received numerous recognitions, including a 2006 MIRA Award:
Innovation of the Year for Purdue Research Park/Quadraspec Inc. and a
2005 CoreNet Global Innovators Award finalist. The Purdue Research Park
is part of the Purdue Research Foundation, a private, nonprofit
foundation created to assist Purdue University in the area of economic
development. In addition to the Purdue Research Park in West Lafayette,
the foundation has established or is currently constructing technology
parks in other locations around Indiana including Merrillville, New
Albany and Indianapolis.
Purdue Research Park contact: Cynthia Sequin (765) 494-4192, (765)
413-6031, casequin@prf.org.
Sources: Travis Brant, (317) 506-6471, info@sensoryventures.com
Steve Cox, (317) 786-1447
Related Web sites: Sensory Ventures: http://www.sensoryventures.com
Beech Grove High School: http://www.bgcs.k12.in.us.bghs/bghs.htm