Communications Badge

Wireless voice-command communication system

The Vocera Communications Badge is a wearable, wireless network-enabled device that weighs less than two ounces and can easily be clipped to a shirt pocket or worn on a lanyard. It enables instant two- way voice conversation without the need to remember a phone number or manipulate a handset. Superior to other options such as cellphones, pagers, and two-way radios, this easy-to-use system is ideal for hospitals, large-format retail stores, and other in-building or campus environments where mobile workers need to stay in close contact to perform their jobs. Using voice prompts, Vocera instantly connects users to the people they need, thereby reducing phone tag, overhead paging, and the need to physically search for a person, enabling better communication, enhanced productivity, and improved customer service.

The Vocera Communications System consists of two key components: the Vocera Server Software, which controls and manages call activity, and the Vocera Communications Badge, a wearable, voice-controlled communications device that operates over a wireless LAN running the 802.11b protocol, reducing additional wiring cost and leveraging a firm’s investment in wireless technology. Optional Vocera telephony software enables users to make and receive telephone calls directly from their badge through their phone system.

IDEO created a video to dramatize the ideal usage scenario for the concept. This video became an indispensible communication tool, demonstrating the product concept based on a robust visualization of the user experience and supporting presentations to potential customers and financial partners prelaunch. IDEO also provided human factors research, industrial design, and mechanical and electrical engineering, working seamlessly with a variety of collaborators who provided the RF technology, circuit boards, and software that make the system possible.

Project date: 2001