For AV system integrators, the term “Audio Visual” means the art of presenting audio, graphic, and video media to inform, motivate, entertain, and alert a specific audience. Contemporary Research is introducing a new visual medium - light.

Color is a universal language. On the road, stoplights tell us to stop, go, or maybe go. In facilities, Red/Green often implies open/closed, occupied/available, or danger/safety. In many sites, colors have specific meanings such as Red Alert, Code Blue or engine status in firehouses. Slow or fast flashing colors add emphasis.

The ability to display widely distributed color-coded alerts in a facility can be a new communication solution in the hands of a creative integrator. The LA-B18 is ideal for any location where visual signaling is desired. Applications can include health care, first responder, ADA support, education facilities, houses of worship, meeting room status indication, and high-noise environments such as industrial, manufacturing, or production.

The CR LA-B18 Light Alert Bar can be a colorful solution for silent alert communication, networked facility-wide over a standard IP network. The sleek 18” aluminum strip hosts a row of bright RGB LEDs behind a white diffuser, displaying any solid color, power via POE at less than 7W per unit. Mountable in a standard 2-gang box, connections are available for IP, local DC power, RS-232, and programmable closure inputs. Integrators can incorporate the published, open protocol into their preferred control system or software application.

Controlled using CR’s robust IC-Net protocol, the system does not require static IP addresses for operation or updates. LA Toolbox, a free app, simplifies integration and support, is able to discover units on a network, define a unique device address and name, view current status, update firmware, test system operation ahead of control integration, and confirm actions when the system is active.