The research and development department of NPR will display its media-related technology initiatives at the convention this coming week. NPR Labs will also use the event to make a presentation on increasing HD Radio transmitter output.
It will receive a 2011 NAB Technology Innovation Award Wednesday. This award is for organizations that bring advanced technology exhibits and demonstrations of significant merit. Nominees are honored for presenting R&D projects in communications technologies that have not been commercialized yet.
NPR Labs will use the show to present overviews of its activities in several areas including captioned radio and advanced IBOC interference propagation mapping.
The lab will demonstrate its work in connection with IPAWS, the Integrated Public Alert & Warning System; it has been working with FEMA to develop a demonstration involving 25 public stations in the Gulf Coast region. The exhibit will be on display at FEMA’s booth in the Central Hall.
NPR Labs also will be presenting in the International Research Park area in the North Hall. It will showcase captioned radio, which features a dual-view display in a car dashboard; its PAIS technology, which allows blind and low-vision listeners of radio reading services to capture stories by topic for on-demand listening; and its IBOC interference propagation mapping tool.
And it will team with Nautel Ltd. and WAMU(FM) in Washington to discuss an enhanced peak-to-average power reduction algorithm for HD Radio broadcasters that test participants say can provide up to 30% more transmitter output power while improving operating efficiency. Their presentation is Sunday afternoon in Room S228 in the convention center.
