PTZOptics Upgrades NY State Courts

The New York State Unified Court System (NYS UCS), the state government's judicial department, has begun on an ambitious modernization mission to make its 1,540 courtrooms more functional, accessible, and digitally equipped. The Courtroom Modernization Initiative (CMI) Team was formed in 2019 to carry out this goal; PTZOptics, together with other essential suppliers such as Magewell and Biamp, played an important part in the changeover.

A Swift Transition to Virtual Court

The beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 triggered a rapid shift to virtual court procedures. Except for jury trials, most court sessions have been relocated to Microsoft Teams. Despite the smooth transfer, the postponement of jury trials, a fundamental prerogative, became a major worry. With their ancient infrastructure that lacked the electrical and network capacity to accommodate contemporary technologies, the century-old courtrooms presented a significant obstacle.

Pro AV Technology Modernizes the Courtroom

To address these restrictions, the CMI team pioneered the use of audiovisual technologies. Several novel solutions were developed and quickly implemented to facilitate the participation of all stakeholders, including the judge, jurors, attorneys, and defendants. The courtrooms are now outfitted with cutting-edge network-connected cameras that magnify pictures in real time on displays strategically placed throughout the chamber.

Mobile videoconferencing systems, NDI cameras to focus on the witness, Biamp audio mixers, assistive listening devices for acoustically problematic courtrooms, an easy-to-use control system, and NDI encoders and decoders for evidence presentation were among the technologies used.

Notably, PTZOptics NDI cameras were crucial in improving the courtroom experience. They were utilized to offer jurors with "head and shoulder" images of the witness from more than 50 feet away, allowing them to fully study the witness's facial expressions and body language. Each PTZOptics camera is powered via Ethernet, utilizing the built-in NDI capability to allow a single wire installation that eliminates the need for electrical outlets or costly SDI or HDMI video cables.

Furthermore, PTZ cameras allow for the capturing of several areas of interest across the courtroom with a single robotic camera. The primary controller may move the camera to important places of interest on typical Windows computers by utilizing the NDI Studio Monitor program and their keyboard and mouse. PTZ camera presets may also be used to automatically place the camera on crucial areas of interest with the push of a button.

In addition, an HDMI camera was first employed to address the issue of jurors being unable to view the witness's mood owing to social distance. The thick HDMI wires on the floor, on the other hand, created a safety threat. The solution was found in NDI technology, which enabled devices to use existing Gigabit Ethernet connections in courtrooms. The network transition alleviated safety issues while increasing efficiency and device control.

Magewell Pro Convert devices are used to convert network-based NDI footage to HDMI at each display in order to display the cameras on monitors throughout the courtrooms. When needed, a controller may rapidly alter the footage on each pair of displays individually. For example, the controller may swiftly display evidence on each jury member's eight displays.

A Robust, Hybrid Courtroom for All to Participate

During these difficult times, the fast introduction of this revolutionary technology was critical in speeding up dispute resolution, lowering case backlogs, and establishing trust and confidence in the court system. By December 2021, NYS jury trial capacity had more than tenfold risen, from 26 in March 2021 to almost 300, demonstrating the project's enormous impact.

The technology's ease of use and perfect operation were hailed by important players such as Rensselaer County's chief assistant attorney Matthew Hauf, who regarded it as critical in delivering justice in a timely way.

The modernization program of the New York State Unified Court System has demonstrated how traditional Pro AV equipment can smoothly combine with Information equipment to provide a robust, hybrid court environment that does not sacrifice stakeholder involvement. It has proved that, with a flexible, innovative, and personalized approach, even century-old courtrooms can be effectively modernized to accommodate the digital era. PTZOptics was instrumental in this transformation process, demonstrating its competence in offering creative, efficient, and safe solutions for difficult issues in a time-critical setting.

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