Jabra, a leader in audio and sound solutions, recently announced Jabra PanaCast, engineered to be the world’s first smart Panoramic-4K Plug-and-Play video solution.
This real-time immersive intelligent vision system offers 180-degree panoramic vision which ensures everyone in the room is seen. Jabra PanaCast provides unique value for huddle rooms and spaces, delivering wall-to-wall video, audio and data, which is critical for modern video collaboration.
The announcement follows the recent acquisition of Altia Systems. Jabra’s portfolio has always focused on solutions that enhance productivity through improved concentration, conversation and collaboration. With Jabra PanaCast, Jabra will be combining its 150-year expertise in sound with industry-first video technology to deliver the most collaborative huddle room experience to date.
Jabra PanaCast is the world’s first intelligent panoramic video collaboration device with three 13 megapixel cameras, working together as one via core technology embedded in the built-in Jabra PanaCast Vision Processor. The multi-camera array solution offers a full 180-degree panoramic field of view, delivering a naturally immersive experience – a key element in building trust, driving higher engagement and ultimately achieving better business outcomes faster. The panoramic video provides everyone with an opportunity for equal participation, fostering healthy discussion and true collaboration – despite not being in the same room.
Wall-to-wall coverage
Jabra PanaCast’s leading-edge cameras and microphones, fourth-generation stitching technology and Intelligent Vision software work as one to ensure optimal performance. Now any room can be used to video conference with wall-to-wall coverage in Panoramic-4K video. Jabra PanaCast enables companies to make use of their full meeting spaces, eliminating the approximately 40% room wastage seen with conventional camera solutions.
Intelligent resource management
Jabra PanaCast’s built-in people detection technologies will provide the possibility of system-wide business intelligence by capturing accurate usage and occupancy information. As AV and IT become more and more integrated, the need for accurate data and metrics increases. The upcoming Jabra PanaCast API will enable developers and partners to query the system for real-time information, such as people count data.
The advanced AI utilizes a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) to count the number of people in the field of view, up to 12m away, and provide numeric data which organizations can use to inform decisions on calendar management, room utilization and resource management, or to automate facility assets’ power management, such as TV monitors, lights, video conferencing equipment and more. The technology will be available through the Jabra PanaCast API built for the Windows operating system and can be used for large areas like classrooms, auditoriums and general gatherings.
“We have always valued the importance of sound and personal interaction in every product within our Jabra portfolio. The introduction of Jabra PanaCast shows our commitment to enable businesses to achieve optimal collaboration and productivity through both sound and video technology. Now is the time to bring remote workers and huddle room participants closer together through the addition of high-quality plug-and-play video to your huddle rooms.” – René Svendsen-Tune, CEO at Jabra
Bringing the huddle room to life
Jabra’s leading conference speakerphone series “Speak” can be integrated with PanaCast to further optimise the UC experience, enabling users to hold meetings wherever they may be without having to compromise on clear audio quality. Jabra’s unique technology boasts an omnidirectional microphone and HD Voice – providing 360-degree coverage and picking up sounds from any angle.
Jabra PanaCast provides unique value for huddle rooms and spaces, ticking all the boxes critical for modern video collaboration. It easily mounts on a digital display or on a wall with available mounting hardware. The USB-based connection allows connection to any compatible device for instant setup and mobile meeting capability.
The solution is compatible with popular cloud-based solutions including Microsoft Teams, Skype, Zoom, Cisco WebEx, Slack, Google Hangouts, GoToMeeting, Unify Circuit, BlueJeans and more, so people can plug-and-play in seconds with their existing collaboration services by simply plugging the device into the computer USB port.
“We want to challenge the market in both video and audio solutions with a solution that offers the best in audio, video and data. And the first responses are promising: users report a four-time growth in video-based meetings and a nearly 20% reduction in meeting duration.” Jabra CEO René Svendsen-Tune
Key features and specifications:
- Simple plug-and-play operation with no software required via a single USB cable
- 180-degree panoramic view seamlessly integrates video from three cameras with real-time dynamic stitching embedded in the onboard Jabra PanaCast Vision Processor
- Naturally inclusive and immersive experience gives everyone equal participation
- Crystal clear sound that picks up every voice in the room w. Jabra Speak series
- No wasted space with industry-first multi-camera array system
- Intelligent Vision (AI) products sense, anticipate and adjust automatically so people can focus on their meeting and discussion
- Industry-first Intelligent Zoom autonomously and continuously optimises the field of view to include everyone in the conversation
Jabra PanaCast Vivid 2.0 automatically adjusts the video properties to optimise the video experience under varying light conditions
The upcoming open and standards-based API provides data for companies and ecosystem partners to build value-added services that can help optimise workflows, automate room/calendar management, enable green energy initiatives like automatically turning off unused equipment (smart building capabilities enablement).