Recognition Details

Santa Cruz, Calif. –October 20, 2017 – Plantronics (NYSE: PLT), an audio pioneer and communications technology leader, today announced that it has been named by Frost & Sullivan as its 2017 North American Augmented Reality Technology Innovation Award recipient for Habitat Soundscaping – the company’s industry-first service for addressing open office noise and distraction.

Habitat Soundscaping represents a completely new way for businesses to address the significant problem of noise and distraction in open office environments. The service consists of nature-inspired elements – sounds of water, water walls, digital images of streams, and other options – combined with intelligent software that actively monitors for distracting speech and effectively ‘turns it down’ by amplifying the soothing sound of water in the surrounding area.

Frost & Sullivan cites the company’s forward-thinking technology and business insight as the basis for the recognition, specifically stating, “Plantronics has identified a significant business problem and then applied cutting-edge technology to address that problem. Its Habitat Soundscaping service allows businesses to reap the rewards of open office spaces while minimizing the problems associated with them.”

“It’s gratifying to have Frost & Sullivan validate the innovation and augmentation of the open office environments that we’re making possible with our Habitat Soundscaping solution,” said Beau Wilder, Vice President, Innovation Waves and New Products, Plantronics. “The days of compromise are gone. Now any company with a workspace that looks gorgeous but is noisy and uncomfortable or architects working-up new open office plans can ensure the space will be peaceful, productive, and conducive to employee well-being with Habitat Soundscaping.”

About Habitat Soundscaping

Habitat Soundscaping uses nature-inspired audio and visuals, coupled with intelligent software to mitigate distractions due to speech – the most common complaint employees have about their open workspaces.

• Nature-inspired Audio – Intelligible speech is highly distracting for humans, who are hard-wired to pay attention to speech and fill in any missing pieces of conversation. Research has proven natural water sounds are the most effective means to reduce the impact of intelligible speech while also creating a comfortable, rejuvenating environment to work in. The Habitat Soundscaping service brings these natural water sounds to the open office creating a space that is highly functional and promotes overall wellbeing.

• Natural Scenes – The Habitat Soundscaping service uses a combination of natural audio and real waterfalls, or virtual displays of serene landscapes, to help reinvigorate the office. The visuals complement the nature-inspired audio to create a harmonious, multisensory experience. Research has also shown that bringing visual connections to nature into the office can improve cognitive functioning and mood of the people in that space.
• Intelligent Software – To reduce distraction, the service actively senses disruptive, intelligible speech and dynamically adjusts the natural sounds in the surrounding work zones in real time to help others stay focused without interrupting any collaboration. It even works at the subconscious level, acoustically incentivizing the right behavior, so that especially loud talkers are encouraged to keep their voices down. The system also automatically analyzes its performance to ensure it’s running optimally day-in and day-out.

Please visit habitat.plantronics.com to learn more about this industry-first solution for open office environments.

In addition to the 2017 North American Augmented Reality Technology Innovation Award, Plantronics was honored to receive Frost & Sullivan’s 2015 Global Contact Center and Office Headset Market Leadership Award for its continued pursuit of excellence in the professional office headset space.

About Plantronics

Plantronics is an audio pioneer and a global leader in the communications industry. We create intelligent and adaptive solutions that support our customers’ most important needs: experiencing and facilitating simple and clear communications while enjoying distraction-free environments. Our solutions are used worldwide by consumers and businesses alike, and are an optimal choice for open office environments. From Unified Communications and customer service ecosystems, to data analytics and Bluetooth headsets, Plantronics delivers high-quality communications solutions that our customers count on today, while relentlessly innovating on behalf of their future. For more information visit plantronics.com. 

The Bluetooth trademark is owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of the mark by Plantronics, Inc., is under license. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

###