Artificial intelligence is one of humanity’s most incredible inventions, standing alongside the lightbulb as a moment of profound innovation that changes everything. Video conferencing, like many other technologies, will never be the same again.
For a video meeting, this transformation is set to come from edge AI. This is intelligence built directly into the cameras, optimising the meeting experience for full engagement and productivity.
But here’s the secret: while edge AI on a single camera delivers impressive results, the real step change happens when it powers a multi-camera system. This combination doesn’t just improve meetings, it transforms them, making them more dynamic and immersive than anything before.
Edge AI, or ‘AI on the edge’, means the device handles all the data processing right on the camera, without sending it off to the cloud or an in-room computer. This makes everything faster and more responsive, while also keeping your data more secure since it stays on the device.
This intelligence is powered by machine learning, specifically convolutional neural networks and object classification. This enables the camera to distinguish between people and objects like tables or laptops, while also understanding where people are, where they’re looking, and who’s speaking.
In short, it turns cameras into intelligent sensors that react to what’s happening in the room. The result? Real-time adjustments, precise framing and video that naturally follows the conversation, enabled by technology that is both practical and affordable.
There are four key challenges with video conferencing which we believe edge AI can help solve, bringing the technology to a turning point. The first of these is autonomously adapting video conferencing to the human experience. Humans are a social and collaborative species. When people come together, they figure things out. But in a hybrid world, recreating the energy of in-person interactions can be tricky, especially when technology gets in the way. Nothing disrupts the flow of a meeting quite like having to adjust your behaviour to meet the needs of the technology.
Using the powerful capabilities of edge AI, our cameras see, understand and automatically adapt to how you naturally act and communicate. The best meeting experience is autonomous – participants should be able to just focus on the conversation, and let the technology do the rest.
The second challenge edge AI enables us to overcome is enhancing engagement and productivity to match in-person meetings, which some people think won’t ever be achieved. But we believe the issue isn’t video – it’s that we’ve settled for an experience that’s barely good enough. If all you see is a static room view, it’s easy to tune out and stop contributing. Real magic happens when people come together, and video should capture that energy.
Driven by edge AI, our cameras can actively shape the meeting, boosting engagement with real-time framing and editing. The real step change in experience then happens when adding multiple cameras, like with our Huddly Crew system. You now have a dynamic, multi-angle experience to harness the full power of human collaboration.
Next, we face the challenge of enabling scalability and flexibility in our meeting environments. Collaboration can happen anywhere – lounge areas, huddle spaces or boardrooms. Your video setup should be flexible enough to work in all of these spaces, without the need for costly redesigns. That way, you’re empowering teamwork wherever it happens naturally.
Edge AI makes it easy to scale your video conferencing. Start with one of our cameras, then expand to three – the technology adjusts to your needs without compromising power or performance. And with machine learning that’s trained to deliver experiences that focus on people, not spaces, your teams can collaborate anywhere.
Finally, we turn to the challenge of keeping up with evolving video conferencing technology. Video conferencing is at a turning point, and things are going to move even faster from here. You don’t want to get stuck with tools that will become outdated soon. Plus, if something breaks or becomes obsolete, you shouldn’t have to rip out and replace everything – that’s neither sustainable nor smart business.
With edge AI, our cameras are built to grow with you. Upgradable software and modular hardware empower your teams to perform at their best while adapting to changing needs over time. Think modular, think flexible and prepare for the next decade, not just the next year.
Huddly is here to push the limits of what’s possible. By using edge AI to solve the challenges of autonomy, engagement, scalability and evolving technology, we’re making video meetings what we’ve always thought they should be: inclusive, effective, and accessible for all.
But in the end, it’s about more than better meetings. Human connection is key to overcoming challenges, and we’re focused on building a more connected world, where collaboration fuels innovation and leads to real, meaningful progress.
Stein Ove Eriksen is co-founder and chief product officer at Huddly
Discover more insights like this in the Winter 2024 issue of Technology Record. Don’t miss out – subscribe for free today and get future issues delivered straight to your inbox.