Bosch Security Systems' platform strategist Ethan Wetzell explains the challenges of anticipating the future in an increasingly converged and fast-paced industry. Anna Mitchell reports.
In 2013 Bosch Security Systems released OMENO enabled products into the pro sound, conferencing and intercom markets. It was the culmination of four years of development into the networking architecture and a landmark that the company’s platform strategist Ethan Wetzell dubs “the end of the beginningâ€.
Wetzell has worked at Bosch for 11 years as part of 25-year career in audio that has seen him explore virtually every aspect of the business as musician, theatrical sound designer, front of house and mastering engineer as well as studio consultant. As platform strategist for Bosch he is now involved in long term strategic planning; working with engineering groups and customers to develop platform technologies and initiatives that will serve the industry many years into the future. OMNEO, created by Bosch as a public, standards based media networking architecture, comprises control and transport protocols for low-latency delivery of high quality signals. Wetzell says the driver behind the development of OMNEO was an emerging trend toward greater integration of previously disparate technologies.
“Audio and video had existed as their own isolated subsystems but we saw very clearly a growing number of people wanting increased connectivity of these different systems,†he begins.
Most immediately there was a need within AV systems. “Stadiums and theatres wanted PA systems to more easily integrate with professional sound systems,†Wetzell offers by way of example.
“But we also spotted trends outside of our industry,†he adds. “One of the main facilitators to enabling this connectivity was the use of networks and IT technology. So we began to look at the opportunities for developing a solution that would bring all these things together.
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