Wow! InfoComm 2023 was not just another typical trade show. A community of over 29,000 AV and UC experts in a city of 700 one and sometimes two-story booths came from all over the world to share and discuss the latest AV and UC technology advances. Themes ranged from the hybrid workplace and experiential technology to where we can go as an industry and how everyone’s voice can help us get there.
Set up for innovation, AVI-SPL’s booth gave viewers a preview of the unique ways we could shape the future of their organization with AV and UC technology.
Our collaboration technology experts demonstrated how we could use a single technology platform to proactively watch over an organization’s technology estate. They showcased how we use VR to design office spaces and deploy and integrate solutions for those spaces. And we showed visitors how to create more engaging executive and leadership communications with extended reality staging.
“InfoComm is where you go to see what’s new, what has moved from a nice-to-have to a must-have, and see what has stood the test of time. For me specifically, InfoComm is where I get to see the ears perk up and the heads nod when I show a new feature of Symphony or a new way to use the data it provides,” said AVI-SPL VP of Products Laurie Berg.
Like Laurie, I wanted to explore the significant themes of InfoComm and the latest solutions and services on display. So, I made my way through the show floor. And here are my top takeaways – or what I’m calling “the three I’s of InfoComm 2023.”
Intelligence to elevate meeting equity
Innovators at InfoComm, like Crestron, Poly, Logitech, Legrand AV, Cisco, Zoom, and more, showed that they are making meeting equity an even more significant part of the human-centric hybrid workplace conversation. And they are doing it by using artificial intelligence (AI) to elevate experiences in hybrid meetings.
AI-driven video conferencing solutions that work across platforms
We need to be productive by having clear, concise communication and collaboration anywhere to have impactful and meaningful meeting experiences.
To continue elevating those experiences, Crestron is introducing an all-in-one video bar solution capturing individuals in a meeting space with a switchable picture-in-picture wide-angle view of the room.
What makes this different than a typical video bar? The bar holds 24 beam-forming microphones to ensure everyone can be heard. And it can run Zoom meetings directly from the bar. And for those wondering, Crestron is already exploring a Microsoft Teams certification.
Similarly, Poly HP featured its new X52. The new camera captures an entire meeting space with a wide-angle camera. And it uses AI to capture body movement to frame everyone in their own slot on screen.
In addition to the X52, Poly HP showcased its Poly Studio Large Room Bundle for Zoom Rooms, combining the Zoom platform with a series of Poly HP solutions. These solutions are compatible with Zoom’s recently announced Intelligent Director.
Zoom’s Intelligent Director uses multiple AI-powered cameras to track interactions in a meeting space to frame and switch between views. The system knows when to frame an individual speaking to everyone on the call or switch to another viewpoint to show multiple people.
Logitech has paired its latest Rally bar with its new Logitech Sight companion camera. Pairing the two devices lets a remote viewer see framed individuals in a meeting space and a picture-in-picture view of the entire table.
Intelligent video bar solutions were a staple for many manufacturers. A surprise addition to this group was Sennheiser.
Sennheiser unveiled its all-in-one TeamConnect TC bar for video conferencing. The new video bar comes with a 4K camera and speakers.
And it exclusively features built-in Dante audio, transmitting and receiving multiple audio channels over a single ethernet cable. And the TeamConnect TC bar supports networking, letting IT departments centrally manage multiple bars across facilities or campuses.
AV and UCC interoperability is the future
Something AVI-SPL has been at the forefront of for a while was also a common element in each video conferencing solution. And that is UCC interoperability.
“Software for UCC is the future. We are seeing a shift, again, from hardware-driven devices to the continued push for software that can do it all; from conferencing to classrooms, we are seeing the beginning of a shift to unified software that can drive your experiences in equitability among in-person and remote meetings,” said AVI-SPL’s Kevin Schornhorst, one of our team members on the show floor.
An example of this was Poly HP’s TC10 control panel which is compatible with Microsoft Teams, Cisco, and Google Meet.
The human-centric hybrid workplace is continuing to evolve. And at InfoComm, AI-powered AV and UC solutions were on full display to reinforce the importance of meeting equity.
Intuitive solutions for better experiences
End user experience in workplace operations and presentation was a theme at this year’s InfoComm. To create a seamless user experience, businesses are shaping their workplaces for the anywhere workforce’s many work styles. This includes IT.
Crestron, Jupiter, and Salamander Designs are helping by introducing a new ADA-compliant and ENERGY STAR-certified Signature Microsoft Teams Rooms bundle. The bundle includes :
- 21:9 ultra-wide 5K 105” LCD display
- Crestron Flex Small room Conference system with Jabra® PanaCast 50 Video Bar for Microsoft Teams® Rooms
- Salamander Designs Credenza
- Four to six-seat Salamander Designs arc table
The solution seamlessly transforms a Signature Microsoft Teams Rooms with Front Row setup into a more personalized end-user experience and simplifies procurement. With AVI-SPL’s VR design services and integration capabilities, you can make human-centric hybrid meetings an everyday function of your ecosystem faster.
The bundle is available to order now through AVI-SPL.
Additionally, Crestron is making daily work experiences even easier for those making the trek into the office. Their new hot-desking solutions, Desk Q and Desk Touch products, allow users to schedule workspaces. And they provide data and analytics for IT teams to understand what office spaces are used most.
Regarding data and analytics, Q-SYS focused on its smart room platform and ecosystem. The platform fits multiple use cases, from higher education lecture spaces to conference rooms. The platform is compatible with Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and Google Meet.
On display in a Signature Microsoft Teams Rooms format, the Q-SYS cloud platform controls every AV device in the space. The platform dims room lights, adjusts PTZ cameras for on and off modes and ceiling microphones, and is compatible with any digital display, including Sharp NEC’s first co-branded display – Multisync ME Series Displays.
The system also supports spatial audio that changes position depending on who speaks on-screen.
The solutions on display offer a unique and dynamic experience for the end users’ day-to-day work interactions.
But if crafting experiences that make customers and employees do more than say “wow” every day is your goal, AVI-SPL ‘s Mark Coxon shares why you should look at LG’s transparent OLED video screens.
“Experience design is about more than wow factor. It’s about stacking senses and telling a story. Transparent OLED is not just a screen, it’s a way of layering digital content over analog objects or creating foreshadowing by telling a story on the OLED while providing a glimpse into the physical environment beyond.”
LG’s transparent OLED video wall is ideal for any organization’s lobby or multi-purpose space. The display can feature custom content, including employee messages, client welcome messages, and present brand stories.
Samsung featured numerous displays for hybrid work and learning uses. But similar to AVI-SPL, the multinational electronics corporation showcased its own version of an extended reality broadcast stage.
Impactful inclusion at all levels
Inclusion through technology was a significant discussion throughout the week. But also critical to inclusion was the discussion on creating and building more diverse, equitable, and inclusive work cultures in the AV industry.
AVIXA and end-user Higher Education Technology Managers Alliance (HETMA) developed a program for higher education technology managers. HETMA hosted networking events and did an InfoComm first by having its own show floor booth.
Kevin Schornhorst, AVI-SPL’s Director of SLED, walked the show floor to see what HETMA had to offer.
“The biggest takeaways for me was the presence of a customer on the show floor. AVI-SPL is a platinum sponsor of HETMA. So, seeing HETMA take the show floor by storm with a 20×20 booth that extended well into the walkways every time I visited was phenomenal.”
AVIXA also hosted live panels promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion on:
- Diversity & Equity in the Modern Workplace: Intentional Leadership
- Women’s Council Breakfast
- An Ethical Revolution in Tech: Creating DEI Accountability and Psychologically Safe Workplaces
AVI-SPL’s Kelly Bousman and Mark Coxon participated in the DEI accountability and psychologically safe workplaces discussion. The discussion highlighted ways organizations can foster a safe, rich, and diverse culture in their workforce by implementing new team and group communication strategies throughout a business.
InfoComm 2023 saw a diverse group of international AV and IT leaders descend into Orlando, Florida, for a week of intelligent and inclusive audio visual, and unified communication innovation and conversation.
Are you ready to build a more inclusive hybrid workplace or learning environment? AVI-SPL can help make it happen with our unique design, deployment, operation, and management capabilities and the above-mentioned solutions. Contact us today to get started.
