Offering Pleasant Remote Communication.
Unified Communication Microphone and Speaker System.
Instantly-usable
To simplify setup, we removed all unnecessary ornamentation from the controls, making them easy to understand. Everything is expressed with simple icons. We brought everything together into a low-rise, simple design that allows everyone attending the meeting to focus completely on speaking, and also employed a minimalist display system.
Well-Made
For the punched metal that covers the entire surface of the speaker, we used a finely meshed material that conveys an impression of delicacy. The speaker is enclosed by a single sheet of material, leaving no seams at all between the top and bottom of each of four sides. The silver line along the top edge exudes a businesslike, restrained elegance.
Tactile
When seen from overhead, the components of the YVC1000 system are simple, circular microphone units. In reality, each is delicately formed from several curved surfaces. The top panel is finished with soft textures in matte tones, and features a mute switch in the center. The design utilizes a concave shape for this panel, with the button place to ensure that you know when the microphone is switched to mute and when it is online. The result design projects an air of trust, essential n a device that may be involved in the communication of confidential information.
Reconstruction
We returned to the fundamentals of conversation—looking at the person with whom you are speaking. That is why we divided the device so that the speaker can be placed in front of the monitor while the microphones are placed beside the people speaking. The microphones are simple circles, clearly indicating that they will pick up equally well what everyone has said, irrespective of the direction from which they are facing the product or their distance from it.
Akie Hinokio
Designer
Yamaha Design Laboratory
A New Appearance Required by a New Phase.
The YVC-1000 is the first model in the Yamaha Voice Communication (YVC) series, which is the successor to the Project Phone (PJP) series that was met with acclaim as a series of speakers for use in web conferencing. When PJP products first went on sale, remote conferencing systems were still unusual. The products themselves had to express how advanced and convenient they were through their form. However, with the rapid advancements made in network environments—and because these networks make running companies more efficient—remote conferencing systems are now ubiquitous. Remote communication is commonly used in such events as seminars and classes—one way in which these systems are now entering a new phase of their existence. This prompted us to consider what form Yamaha's remote communications products should take as we considered the design of the YVC-1000.
When we began the design process, we referred to surveys about corporate remote conferencing system, utilizing the numerous answers received in our analysis of aspects as the purpose of remote conferencing, its desired result, and the problems that users encountered. This analysis revealed the needs of many users. For example, some people stated that they wanted to be able to look at the face of the person they were speaking with, which prompted us to develop the separate microphones and speaker that are the trademark of this system. This contrasts with previous systems that combine microphone and speaker in one unit, forcing users to face wherever the microphone was located—on a table top, for example—rather than at the monitor showing the face of the other person, which might be mounted on a wall. Other users spoke of being concerned about the ability of products to pick up their voices when they were seated away from the microphone, a complaint that we addressed with a circular microphone design. This circular shape makes it obvious that the microphone can pick up voices coming from anywhere around it. Of course, we focused more than just the shape of the components—we took pains to deliver the sense of quality that all Yamaha products possess: for instance, the texture of the punched grill that conveys an impression of delicacy with its fine mesh; the processing of the edges; the way that the devices are constructed with numerous interleaving surfaces; the color scheme, which combines black matte with silver; and so much more—all of these factors contribute to an upscale style befitting a place of business, and make using the YVC-1000 a satisfying experience for users.
