Polycom, Inc. new solution in Polycom EagleEye Director II, to deliver more life-like and studio production quality for virtual meetings.

Polycom, Inc., has introduced a new solution, Polycom EagleEye Director II that adds a life-like look and feel to virtual meetings. Designed for teams to focus on the people in the room, not the technology, this latest solution quite literally lets the camera do most of the work. Meeting participants no longer need to worry about managing the meeting using cumbersome remote controls. Instead, the camera frames and zooms-in on active speakers allowing for more natural conversation and greater interaction among participants, enabling them to see facial expressions and body language more clearly.

“One of the biggest challenges facing Indian employers today is closing the technology gap between 20th century technologies and the workplace of the future style collaboration solutions that employees are demanding. The best technologies are those that keep pace with where users want to push it,” Minhaj Zia, Vice President for Polycom in India, SAARC and SEA, explains. “In fact, a recent Polycom anywhere working survey also found that 98 per cent of Indians believe video technology is key in building relationships and improving productivity. Not surprising, given that 86 per cent of India’s working population have a colleague based in a different location.”

Using Polycom’s intelligent speaker tracking and facial recognition technology, the EagleEye Director II automatically scans the room during a meeting to identify and focus on active meeting participants. When someone in the virtual meeting starts to speak, the camera seamlessly transitions to an up-close view of that person. A similar approach to what happens when cameras film a TV production and zooms in on the actor delivering their lines.

Zia continues, “In this new era of anywhere working, our focus is on creating reliable technology that is easy to use and provides excellent video and audio capabilities. The best user experience is when the technology works so well, it creates a natural collaboration environment that enhances teamwork and boosts productivity.”

He adds that this latest camera innovation delivers deeper engagement and more effective meetings, as automatic speaker detection allows users to clearly see vital facial expressions and body language. “With workplaces continuing to evolve, technology too has to keep up with our customers’ requirements for solutions that are simple to use and deliver the expected experience. Through our innovations, we look to make virtual meetings as lifelike and as natural as possible, ensuring that productivity and great communication can happen across any distance.”

The EagleEye Director II camera changes the video conferencing experience from the awkward and distant ‘bowling alley’ view to a professionally produced video meeting when combined with Polycom Group Series video room systems. Participants will no longer have to worry about being in camera view, nor interrupt the flow of conversation to handle the remote control. V-Guard Industries Ltd, a major electrical appliances manufacturer in India has recently implemented EagleEye Director, to enable better collaboration in offices across the country.

Robin Joy, CIO, V-Guard said, “In the past, the video conferencing experience was limited as the camera did not have the capability to zoom in on the speaker. There was wastage of time in ensuring correct framing for remote participants to view the speakers and their presentations. Polycom EagleEye Director has changed the experience of our video conferences, resulting in a more engaging experience for our employees and saving valuable time.”