Vocera Communications Badge

The Vocera Communications Badge is one part of a complete proprietary wireless Voice over IP intercom system manufactured by Vocera Communications, targeted primarily to medical and health care facilities.

It has received an unusual amount of publicity due to the fact that its radios are similar to the 'comm badges' popularized by the show Star Trek: The Next Generation.

System Components

A basic Vocera system comprises 'badges' (wearable IP Phones), an enterprise class access point, and the Vocera Systems Software that resides on an enterprise class Server. A complete enterprise system consists of the badges, a Vocera System Software, WiFi infrastructure, a Telephony Bridge, and a reporting server for statistical tracking.

Vocera Badge

The Vocera Communications Badge is one of the most distinctive parts of the Vocera system. Comprising a black plastic oblong shape that's roughly 4 inches by 1.5 inches by .5 inches, the unit weighs 2-4 ounces (depending on the accessories you have attached to it). It contains a small LCD display, volume buttons, a hold/do not disturb button, and a call button. The hold/do not disturb button and the call button act as yes/no responses respectively.

When the Badge is paired with a standard 4mm depth battery, it's able to stay active for about 24 hours standby combined with 2 hours of continuous talk time. Extended batteries give it more talk and standby time.

The Badges are compatible with the 802.11b wireless standard, and can be configured with WEP, WPA-PSK, and LEAP encryption methods.

At this time, there are two major "generations" of Badges. The original B1000 Badge is easily identified because it contains no backlight. The newer B1000A Badge contains a backlight, and it's various sub-generations of Badges have smaller improvements to them, along with certification stickers from various regulatory agencies worldwide. All Badges are identical in size, shape, weight, and accessory usage.

Vocera System Software (Vocera Server or VS)

The Vocera System Software runs on a typical Windows based server with 2 GB of RAM and modest hard drive space. Larger deployments require faster processor and perform better with additional RAM. Systems can be clustered at an application layer for redundancy.

Vocera Telephony Server (VTS)

The Vocera Telephony Server runs on a Windows server that supports either an analog (four or 12 port) or a digital (T1, E1, or ISDN PRI) Dialogic card.

Vocera Report Server (VRS)

The Vocera Report Server enables the generation of many useful reports by site, department, group, AP, user, MAC, etc.

Installation

Vocera installation requires a bit of planning. In order to ensure proper coverage, a complete 802.11b wireless network comprising Cisco or other approved AP's should be installed. Vocera can be placed on its own VLAN or on an existing LAN segment.

Once the WLAN environment is stable and clean, installation of the server and its software can begin. The Server software install will place a MySQL database and the appropriate Vocera specific software on the various servers.

Badges are then configured to recognize the server's dedicated IP address.

Users are then added into the database. Individual groups and AP locations are also placed within the database itself as well. Users then can be placed into groups for mass callings.

It is important to note that a clean and accurate database entry setup will ensure a smooth operation for Vocera users. See Technical Operation for the reasons why.

Operation and Usage

One of the original things about Vocera is that it is voice driven and only requires the manipulation of the buttons for such things as volume control or putting yourself in to do not disturb mode.

When using a badge for the first time, the badge will be logged out. Pressing the silver call button on the front of the badge will prompt you for a first and last name. If your name is not present in the database, it will not log you in. Voice print verification for increased security can be activated as well, preventing fraudulent use by mimicking another user.

After login, operation of the badge consists of pressing the large silver call button on the front of the badge, waiting for a spoken "Vocera" prompt (hereinafter referred to as the 'Genie'), and then issuing a command in the format of "Verb - noun". Common commands can consist of "Call Jane Doe", or "Dial an outside number".

To receive a call, the badge will announce the caller, and will ask you if you want to take the call. Merely saying "yes" or "no" out loud, or pressing the call/do not disturb buttons, will make the badge accept or deny the call.

The badge is designed to be worn no more than 8 inches away from the wearer's chin against the wearer's chest. Its microphone's field of focus is designed to pick up the voice about 4 inches away from the wearer's mouth when placed properly. Various clips and attachments allow the wearer to place the badge in its most optimal and comfortable position.

Technical Operation

The Vocera Server is realistically the nerve center of the entire Vocera operation. It contains a running list of Users and their status, Groups, Departments, Address Book entries for telephony integration (call home), Badge MAC Addresses, Access Points and their names, and much more.

Most importantly, the Vocera Server contains the voice recognition engine that allows you to use voice commands.

The following list encompasses the basic technical steps of a Badge to Badge call.

- Badge user 'A' presses the call button

- Call button connects to the Vocera Server

- The Vocera Server begins a voice recognition session with the Badge

- Badge user 'A' asks to talk to Badge user 'Z' by saying "Call Z"

- The Vocera Server recognizes the "call" command, looks up User 'Z' to find its MAC address, and then resolves its IP address.

- The Vocera Server connects to Badge User 'Z' and asks if they can take a call from user 'A'.

- If User 'Z' says "yes"

- The Vocera Server notifies user 'A' of user 'Z' MAC address

- Badge 'A' initiates a Badge to Badge session

- Server disconnects from the Badges

- Badges continue Badge-Badge session until one Badge is disconnected.

For optimum results, the Vocera Server should have all AP locations configured in the Vocera Server database. This allows users to ask where a user is based on the AP with which they are associated. This is not as specific as a tracking system would be. It let's you know the person is within the radius (100 to 300 feet) of a specific access point.

Challenges

Vocera, despite its advanced operational methodology, has its challenges.

The biggest challenge for a Vocera system is the wireless network. The wireless network must be of voice quality. That means:

- Adequate coverage in all areas that a Vocera Badge May Be used (the edge of an outside room with the AP behind you, basements, elevators, stairwells, etc.)

- Symmetrical transmit power. The Vocera Badge is a low power device. If the APs are transmitting at 100mW, the Badge will receive signal from the AP, but the AP may not receive a signal from the Badge.

- 2.4 GHz Interference sources - Dect phones, microwave ovens, wireless security cameras, etc.

Users must be trained to stay within the Vocera defined operational envelope from a speech pattern definition in order to be successful. Ironically, accented voices are able to be recognized, but the simplistic command structure pattern of "verb - noun" can't be modified, lest you get poor recognition or an admonishment from the Vocera Server. Like most things, you must use the correct syntax to get the desired results.

In addition, because positioning of the unit on one's person is key. The Badge uses a very sensitive, direction microphone. In needs to be in near proximity to the wears mouth. If it is too far away, the microphone will have difficulty picking up the voice from the background noise. On the other hand, the Badge should not be handled or held too close to the users mouth. Holding the Badge will transmit sound through the body to the microphone. Using the Badge too close the mouth will overdrive the microphone and result in poor recognition. Ensuring that the badge stays within six to eight inches of the mouth without being held in the hand can be a challenge.

The most recent version of the Vocera Software (v4.0) adds several features that help to mitigate some of its shortcomings via the addition of the ability to learn how a user pronounces a name and other similar improvements.

Accessories

Various accessories allow Vocera to be used in a variety of ways. Lanyards, headsets, clips, and protective sleeves all allow increased functionality for a variety of environments.

Easter Eggs

The programmers at Vocera have included some easter eggs, like 'Beam Me Up' (plays a really bad transporter sound), and when you speak inappropriate invectives (Shut-Up or Kluck you) to the genie, the server will automatically hang-up that communications session with the prompt, "I beg your pardon." Speaking the phrase "GoodBye" results in a message from Spock, Leonard Nimoy, "Live long and prosper". "Beam me down" results in a reversal of the transporter tones, and a crash at the end.

Social Implications

Because of its 'tracking nature' attributed to correlation between Badge MAC addresses and the nearest AP's being placed into log files, Vocera has been both revered and reviled at the same time. Many facilities (primarily healthcare in nature) have nicknamed it "Nurse Crack" because of its addictive properties of instant communication, but are somewhat unhappy about its abilities to track someone to the nearest access point.

In reality, its tracking abilities are not accurate, since you can be associated an access point that is one floor above or below your actual position. Because of the general nature of 802.11 and it's ability to attach to the access point with the greatest perceived signal, tracking someone is not really possible at this time.

Many users feel that this type of communication method can be the wave of the future.

History

The brainchild of Dr. Robert Shostak, the Vocera concept was created out of a need to get a hold of people when they were away from their desks. Its intent was to act as a voice based instant messaging method to where short, brief and simple conversations would be made over small communication devices.

Original designs utilized Bluetooth as its connectivity, but subsequent designs utilized the more commonplace 802.11 networking standard.