Google and HP have revealed a new 3D video communications platform called “Project Starline.”
We all remember how video-conferencing becoming an economic lifesaver during lockdown, but Zoom fatigue was, let's face it, a genuine problem. Our brains don't like being in virtual meetings all day. Enter Starline. It aims to ease that feeling, and make working from home (or anywhere) more pleasurable and life-like.
Starline's stated mission, first revealed on a Google blog in 2021, is to make video calls feel as if the person you’re speaking with is right there in the room with you. It's expected to start rolling out later this year and could be a big hit (if you can afford the tech).
Starline doesn’t require the use of smart glasses or a headset. Instead, it uses feeds from six cameras that generate a real-time 3D video on a specialized desktop screen called a “light-field display.” According to WSJ, these displays “simulate depth by projecting different angles of the images to each of our eyes.”
Additionally, Google uses AI to track the positions of users’ mouths and ears, so the audio is transmitted in a way that feels like they’re in front of you. Google and HP are putting a premium on how much the tech will ease the cognitive burden of videoconferencing - something they say the data already proves.
Google and HP haven’t revealed the price for Starline yet, but the tech will be compatible with Google Meet and Zoom.