What we need from the center / how we connect¶
The good news: ControlAI works with what the center already has. In most cases there's no need to buy anything new. But a few things have to be in order — let's go through them in plain language, without the technical jargon.
What the center must have¶
Cameras in the classrooms¶
Cameras are already mounted in the classrooms — ControlAI uses them. What matters is that the camera: - shows the classroom (students are visible — for attendance counting); - records audio — all speech analytics rely on the audio; - delivers a picture of acceptable quality (modest quality is enough for the analysis — there's no need to chase 4K).
Audio is what matters most¶
Speech analytics is only as good as how well the lesson can be heard. That's why audio quality matters more than picture quality. If a camera's built-in microphone is weak, a single inexpensive external microphone — plugged directly into the camera — is placed in the classroom — that's enough. Separate microphones for the teacher or for each student are not needed.
NVR/DVR (where recordings are stored)¶
Cameras usually record to the center's NVR/DVR. We need the recordings there to: - be kept for at least a few days (until we pull them); - be accessible to our system.
Network access¶
For ControlAI to pull recordings on its own, the center needs internet access to its own NVR/DVR — we set this up together and securely (access is opened only for us, not to the "whole internet"). For this, the center will need a permanent (static) public IP address — usually an inexpensive service from the internet provider. Plus enough internet speed for recordings to upload in time (if the connection is weak, we pull overnight, and the reports are ready by morning).
Schedule¶
We need to know when and in which classroom lessons take place — from the schedule the system figures out which recordings to pull and when. The schedule is entered into the admin panel (or imported).
Consents¶
Since lessons are recorded (video and audio), consents are required from teachers and, where applicable, parents. This is part of onboarding — see more in the chapter “Privacy and trust”.
What we check before the start (audit)¶
Before launch we run a short audit of each classroom and center:
| What we check | Why |
|---|---|
| Audio quality from the camera | whether it's enough for speech-to-text |
| NVR/DVR accessibility | whether we'll be able to pull recordings |
| A permanent (static) public IP address | so our system can connect to the NVR/DVR |
| Recording retention period | whether we'll pull them before they're overwritten |
| Internet speed | how quickly the reports will be ready |
| Clock accuracy on the NVR/DVR | so we pull exactly the right segment of the lesson |
If a classroom "falls short"¶
If audio is weak in some classroom or something is missing — that's not a deal breaker. Usually it's enough to install an inexpensive external microphone or tweak a setting. Such small things are resolved during onboarding, before launch.
The key takeaway from this chapter: we need little from the center — working cameras with audio, an accessible NVR/DVR, network access, a schedule, and consents. Audio quality matters more than the picture; where it falls short, a single inexpensive microphone is installed. All of this is checked in advance, during the audit.
→ Next: 13. How we roll it out — the path from "we have a deal" to "it works".