Jabra, the Denmark-based tech company, perhaps best known for its range of business headsets and speakerphones, is upping its game in the videoconferencing space with a brand-new lineup of Jabra PanaCast cameras that the company claims is set to reinvent the post-Covid meeting room by bringing video, audio and AI into the ‘new normal’ post-Covid workspace.
While many of us have grown used to working from home during the past year, this has spurred the use of video conferencing for keeping in contact with clients and colleagues. However, when we return to our offices, things are going to look different because of the need for social distancing and the demand for more video conferencing space as more of us reduce our business travel for health and environmental reasons.
Today Jabra has announced two new video conferencing tools, the Jabra PanaCast 50 and the Jabra PanaCast 20. The PanaCast 50 is claimed as the world’s first “new-normal” intelligent video bar; while the Jabra PanaCast 20 is a new and intelligent personal webcam that can be used almost anywhere.
Hybrid working will be the new normal going forward and the modern working environment is based around teams that are working in closer collaboration. These teams are going to be working from head office, home, cafés, branch offices or even just out on the road. Since the beginning of the pandemic there’s been a significant increase in the use of video by distributed teams. Before the pandemic, 66% of office-based workers were using webcams for work; now 86% of home workers are using video to communicate with colleagues and stakeholders.
The Jabra PanaCast range has been designed to help workers navigate this new and hybrid way of working by combining immersive vision and video, coupled with innovative audio technologies and Artificial Intelligence. We’ve seen a huge leap in technology condensed into a year. The result could change the face of video meetings and remote collaboration forever.
Many companies traditionally had to choose between high quality audio and video provided by an expensive conferencing suite – a place that was often the preserve of the company’s senior management – and using personal webcams with lower audio and video quality and an inability to include more than one person in a picture. The new Jabra PanaCast 50 claims to bring high-end video conferencing but with plug-and-play use so that anyone can deliver immersive and engaging video no matter where they are.
The PanaCast 50 takes on the role of the “TV director” of a meeting by intelligently adjusting the video stream to track the action in the meeting. The Virtual Director feature uses AI-based video and audio streams, as well as Jabra’s proprietary AI algorithms, to automatically adjust the picture framing depending on what’s happening in the meeting room. This enables Jabra PanaCast 50 to decide who the active speakers are and how the conversation is flowing. The upshot is a remote meeting experience that feels completely immersive and responsive.
At the heart of the PanaCast 50 are three 13-megapixel cameras mounted in a high-precision, multi-camera array that creates a seamless 180° field of view in Panoramic-4K bringing the entire meeting room into frame. High-definition and real-time video stitching harness algorithms that decide the right way to live-stitch the separate video streams. From single person calls to full team meetings, the PanaCast 50’s technology is designed to ensure everyone in the meeting room is included in an optimum way.
As well as the three high-resolution cameras, the Jabra PanaCast 50 also has nine Edge processors, including two Edge AI processors. These are specifically engineered for audio and video use, enabling the intelligent video bar to integrate audio, video and data in real-time. This data powers the Intelligent Zoom feature which frames participants perfectly. The Virtual Director can transition video frames from speaker to speaker, depending on what is happening, making the meeting look as if it is being directed in a TV studio. According to Jabra, this AI approach makes it easier for remote participants to follow the flow of the meeting and enables the Jabra PanaCast 50 to create an immersive and engaging video without distraction.
The Jabra PanaCast 50 can also deliver two video streams at once. For example, while one video stream is busy focusing on the meeting participants, the second can be used to focus on a particular area of interest within the room. The two video streams also enable the whiteboard sharing feature built into the PanaCast 50. This enables whiteboard content to be captured and enhanced in real-time and then streamed live within the meeting, lesson or lecture so every participant or student can see what’s on the whiteboard and contribute to the discussion, leaving nobody disadvantaged because they’re not present in the room.
In addition to dual video streams, the PanaCast 50 also delivers an independent always-180° data stream that can anonymously count the number of people in a room. Because of its 180° field-of-view, the PanaCast 50 has 100% coverage of the meeting room and can accurately count the number people in it. This information is anonymous because the device simply counts people without recognizing them.
The AI system can compare the headcount with a defined room capacity and flags up if the room is being used over capacity. If the number of people exceeds the limit, the PanaCast 50 can provides visual and aural cues to people in the room, enabling them to alter the meeting setup for safety and wellbeing. Additionally, through the network interface, longer-term data can be communicated to IT administrators, enabling the business to make data-driven decisions about how meeting spaces are being used.
The PanaCast 50 has eight beamforming microphones with precision voice detection bolstered with intelligent algorithms that remove unwanted noise. Four Jabra-engineered speakers – two 50mm woofers and two 20mm tweeters – in a zero-vibration stereo formation can fill the room with sound. Full-duplexing technology means conversations sound more natural and people don’t end up speaking over each other. The PanaCast 50 is optimized for all leading UC platforms. As well as working with Microsoft Teams and Zoom, it also works with Microsoft Teams Rooms and Zoom Rooms.
Launching alongside the Jabra PanaCast 50 is a new personal webcam that’s designed to offer high-quality and secure video collaboration, wherever the user is. With great looks and a compact and form factor, the PanaCast 20 is easy to use. The camera features AI that’s managed inside the device using Edge processing. This means advanced experiences are generated directly on the device without extra data being sent to the cloud for processing or needing extra software.
All the PanaCast 20’s functions take place on the device itself, significantly minimizing the risk of security breaches and improving speed, accuracy and the overall picture quality. The PanaCast 20 also includes a lens cover to guarantee privacy and stop the camera from accidentally being left running.
Security for people working away from the office environment is a serious issue but so is the quality of the video. The PanaCast 20 produces 4K Ultra HD and HDR video and has a personalized Intelligent Zoom. This always frames the user correctly, regardless of the environment. There’s also automatic lighting correction to ensure the video stream is optimized. And because the PanaCast 20 is 4K, even if it’s being used on piece of software that doesn’t support 4K, the enhanced resolution can be used to improve image quality in conjunction with the Intelligent Zoom.
These two new cameras from Jabra sound like they could set a new benchmark for video conferencing, whether that’s in the office or when working from home. The PanaCast 50 video bar is ideal for conference and meeting rooms measuring up to 4.5 meters. The inclusion of high-end speakers, eight beamforming microphones and three 13-magapixel digital cameras that can stitch images together in real-time, will make a big impact on the video conferencing world. The portable 4K Jabra PanaCast 20 also looks as if it could boost the quality of video conferencing for home workers so they feel more included in meetings and can be heard properly. With the way our work environments are changing, there’s never been a more important time to “tool up” for working in a hybrid world.
Pricing and Availability: Jabra PanaCast 50 will be available from 15th June 2021 in black and grey for $1195 / €1065 / £945. The Jabra PanaCast 20 goes on sale from 1st August 2021 in black and will sell for $299 / €267 /£232.
More info: www.jabra.com
Jabra PanaCast 50 Key Features And Specifications:
- 180° field of view
- Virtual Director adjusts video in real-time
- Safety Capacity and Room Usage Insights
- Network-connected system for remote management and data delivery
- Real-time whiteboard streaming for more inclusive remote collaboration
- Advanced system architecture and built-in dual Edge AI processors
- Plug-and-play for fast setup and maximum ease of use
- Choice of wall mount, table stand and VESA screen mount
- Compatible with Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Teams Rooms, Zoom and Zoom Rooms. Optimized for all leading UC platforms
Jabra PanaCast 20 Key Features And Specifications:
- Personalized Intelligent Zoom
- Intelligent Light Optimisation
- Picture-in-Picture feature
- 4K Ultra, HDR video
- Edge AI processing
- Plug-and-play connectivity
- Works with Microsoft Teams, Zoom and optimized for all leading UC platforms
