Taipei’s COMPUTEX 2019 wrapped up on June 1, but many of the technological advances on display left impressions that will last at least until the exhibition returns in 2020. From futuristic gaming pods and smart desks with embedded computers to a mini 8K video theater, there was something for everyone who took the time to visit Nangang Exhibition Center during the show.
Fortunately, I had a chance to stop by COMPUTEX and see the latest and greatest in the world of business solutions for myself. What I found was that while the subject of video conferencing itself was not a main theme of the exhibition, much of the tech presented will directly impact the way companies run remote business meetings in the future.
Facial Recognition Integrated With AI
Although AMD’s updated Ryzen processors stole the show, one of the concepts that tied the exhibition together, from my perspective, was facial recognition/detection technology. This tech popped up in everything from POS monitors to classroom devices. My colleagues at AVer even proudly showed off the CAM540’s SmartFrame function, which detects faces to quickly and easily fit meeting participants on-screen.
Now, facial recognition is nothing new. It’s been around in one form or another for decades; however, it is taking a big leap forward with artificial intelligence that collects, analyzes, and learns from valuable data points. As I walked through what seemed like endless rows exhibits, I encountered many devices that captured my face and displayed information about me, such as my age and the amount of times I had visited. One even included my emotional status (I was labeled “neutral”).
At first glance, connections between AIoT-equipped facial recognition and business meetings aren’t readily apparent. In fact, when I talked to one exhibitor about his product, he focused on uses like retail and predicting pedestrian behavior for public safety. As this technology progresses, though, there are many applications for remote collaboration.
What It Means for Video Conferencing
According to a recent prediction by Zoom founder Eric S. Yuan, “Video will be used to recognize who is in the room and will be paired with technologies that provide other insights such as the participant's title and company affiliation. Insights into who has used the conference room, when, and for what purpose will also help IT and Facilities staff better plan space allocation and usage.”
The products that graced the halls of COMPUTEX demonstrated how combining facial recognition with AI will result in a wealth of useful information that companies can use to streamline their operations, just as Yuan predicted. As this technology advances, it’s possible that smart conferencing devices will be able to use machine learning to alter camera and audio settings, and meeting room conditions such as lighting and temperature based on the people present.
Sure, there are detractors who will decry the potentially invasive aspects of facial recognition. However, the possibilities for enhancing meeting and overall business efficiency are too powerful to ignore. Who knows, maybe next COMPUTEX a device offer me directions after it recognizes that I'm lost in the maze of exhibits.
Also Worth Noting
Facial recognition and AIoT weren’t the only connections to video conferencing I noticed at COMPUTEX. Another example that the tech industry will continue to apply its latest advances to video conferencing solutions was a prominent display featuring a one-touch presentation switcher.
We’ve all experienced the awkward dead air in meetings when it’s time to hand off the DVI cable to the next presenter. Therefore, such hardware that allows users to instantly go back and forth between shared screen content delivers much-needed efficiency.
At AVer, we offer a similar solution with our SVC500 On-Premise System, which joined the CAM540 at COMPUTEX 2016. The SVC500 offers mult-presentation mode that enables simple presentation toggling with the push of a remote-control button or a tap of your smart device with our EZMeetup software.
What AVer Brings to the Table
Every area of COMPUTEX 2019 was bursting with inspiring innovation. Imagining the progress that will materialize at the future exhibitions is exciting, and AVer is set to lead the pack with our dedication to R&D of video conferencing solutions. The best is yet to come.