Deutsche Bahn is testing at Frankfurt Central station for half a year, a new speaker system. The technology should be able to direct sound waves to specific points; so travelers, for example, only the info for you on a certain platform relevant. the Jan Willmroth Jan Willmroth
Jan Willmroth works as a financial correspondent of the süddeutsche Zeitung in Frankfurt am Main. Grew up in the southern Eifel, the study of Economics at the University of Cologne with a focus on energy and environmental Economics, graduate of the Cologne school of journalism. After stints at the Spiegel Online, Reuters and the business week he wrote as a freelance writer for several Newspapers and magazines, and came in 2014 to the SZ. Since then, he writes about financial and commodity markets and economic policy issues. For his work he was awarded in 2016, with the friedwart Bruckhaus prize.
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“Because of your connection options please also ensure that the local speaker by saying” this is one of those phrases that have in the memory of rail travellers and commuters. If only it was that easy to comply.
Either the loudspeaker announcement is almost over, before the passenger has balanced his suitcase out of the train, or the Information is on the platform in the kakofonen concert of voices are computer-generated and Live-by, say, screeching trains and piepsenden doors. The default facial expressions of the German train at the station of perplexity is: What has just been said here? Searching eyes wandering. Where is a railway employee who can help me? Or where a passenger with better ears?
Half-year test phase
Well, the web works after all, the fact that at some point in the near future, everyone can hear what to tell the voices from the speakers. At Frankfurt Central station, more precisely on the underground tracks 103 and 104, where every day 50 000 people in the S-Bahn to get in and out and every few minutes a train, where the sound resonates, especially to many of the announcements through the halls, has presented to the group on Wednesday, a new speaker system.
With the technique of the young Berlin-based company Holoplot, the train has already involved years ago, to listen to the passengers only the information relevant to you – right where you are. “Never more station to understand”, is now on small posters, with which the rail and the regional transport company RMV to apply the pilot project.
Holoplot promises, sound waves, radiation similar to light specifically to be able to any points in the room to focus. In underground halls with a lot of the public to dampen the noise level significantly.
And indeed: During the Holoplot, the founder of the novel Sick, the RMV-managing Director Knut Ringat, and train regional field Director Susanne Kosinsky to a lectern grouped at the station, is heard in about 40 meters distance, and clearly, one should not leave his Luggage unattended. On the opposite side of the platform is used.
for half A year, the railway wants to test now, how good is the System of catacombs and works in the Frankfurt S-Bahn, again and again, re-align, adjust the volume, passengers ask. After these 150 000 Euro expensive pilot phase, it is conceivable, Holoplot technology somewhere else.
The first impression gives hope that travelers to Germany understand the loudspeaker announcements in the medium term far better. The Form was true then, it would be the contents: Currently, the railway also developed their information system. All of the scoreboards, announcements, and App notifications will no longer be bundled, so that they speak so often.
