If you’ve ever been part of the corporate world and conference meetings were part of your day-to-day, you understand the frustrations around making it run smoothly. Whether it’s a bad connection from the remote participant or just too many people talking over each other, the video conference can spell disaster if not properly organized. Owl Labs – an innovative Boston-based startup – has created a new IoT product called Meeting Owl – engineered to ensure a seamless experience while connecting remotely.
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Meeting Owl’s Intelligent Design
Capable of focusing on one speaker at a time, the USB connected Meeting Owl comes equipped with an intuitive 360-degree camera. Whether it’s reducing meeting chaos or simply making sure that all participants share their viewpoints, the Meeting Owl is designed to make the conference call a more natural, fluid process.
Armed with 8 omnidirectional beamforming microphones and a noise cancellation 360-degree speaker, all employees can be heard as long as they’re within a 12-foot (3.6m) diameter of the Meeting Owl. With a panoramic shot of the room at all times during the conference, Owl Labs’ revolutionary hardware system overlays the last three speakers onto your laptop.
The Beamforming Technology
Meeting Owl’s beamforming technology – the same tech housed in Amazon Echo’s speakers – shoots a super precise laser beam in the direction of the speaker drowning out any ambient background noise. Named after an owl’s innate ability to see and hear with utmost precision, the engineers at Owl Labs combined the powers of a highly dynamic range lens with the sophistication of a 360-degree mic array.
Compatibility
When the owl’s eyes light up, you know that your conference meeting is underway and Owl Labs’ hardware is ready to work its magic. Described as “an intelligent 360-degree all-in-one video conferencing hardware,” this highly portable office companion is compatible with a wide range of remote conferencing suites that include Skype, Zoom, Slack, GoToMeeting, Google Hangouts, etc. With no extra downloads needed, the Meeting Owl is ready to go right out of the box.
So what separates the Meeting Owl from other IoT video conferencing devices? First and foremost, the Meeting Owl does all the work for you. There’s no need to turn your laptop toward the speaker or adjust your viewing angle. When a new voice is detected, it automatically pulls up a face-to-face view – overlaying it so you can look directly at the speaker. Secondly, the Meeting Owl uses the same beamforming technology powering the Amazon Echo digital assistant. This ensures a crystal clear audio experience without the disruption of a door being closed in the background.
Real-World Application
This is an ideal device for a company that has remote employees or needs to connect with different offices. You get all of the benefits of an online video conferencing suite like Skype with the technology that organizes your entire meeting. No more talking over each other or trying to figure out who’s speaking – the Meeting Owl irons out all of the confusion that comes with the chaotic video conference. If you’re looking for a way to instantly upgrade your firm’s professionalism, the Meeting Owl is a must-have product.
