Grapplers with the conventional video-call landscape have a potential solution in sight. Katmai Tech has made ripples in the tech community with its new patent (US11776227B1), touted to revolutionize the dynamics of virtual conferencing.
In the face of the growing popularity of video calls, a pesky problem has been lurking around - the loss of a sense of place and personal interaction. Due to the virtual nature of gatherings, participants often miss the feeling of physical presence and the opportunities for side conversations that physical space provides. This, in turn, hampers the creation of essential social connections. Adding to the woes are issues like lack of privacy due to the inability to control 'on-screen' background, and spatial confusion when multiple participants join in.
Katmai Tech steps in at this juncture with their freshly patented solution, a gadget that alters your video call ‘avatar’ and the ambiance behind it. Imagine telling the gadget how you would want your video-game character and its background to look, and the device enacts the same during your video calls! A 3D video of you is taken, the background is altered as per your choice, and that video is then used to present your avatar to the other participant. In addition, this tech can create different aspects of your avatar using the same visual data it receives.
This inventive solution could possibly transform the virtual meeting landscape. We might soon see a world where business meetings, educational classes, or casual hang-outs over a video-call won’t feel distant or impersonal anymore. You could be presenting your business proposals in a 'virtual' boardroom or teaching classes in a 'virtual' classroom, regardless of your actual location or background. This would aid both your privacy and the sense of personal touch in your communications. Video calls might feel more like 'being there' than ‘connecting there’.
Let’s imagine Maria, a sales executive based in San Francisco, has an important meeting with a client in London. With the use of this patented technology incorporated in her video conferencing system, she could be presenting her new products while coming across to her client as sitting in a high-tech office, while in reality, she might be just enjoying the comfort of her home couch.
However, it's crucial to remember this is a patent and hasn't yet actualized into a commercial product. We can only dream of the potential benefits and wait until this game-changing technology hits the market.
P.S.: Like any patent, an idea can change and evolve over time. While the patented technology has the potential to revolutionize the video-conferencing world, there's no guarantee that it will materialize in the market in its current form or at all. Its development might face unforeseen obstacles or might turn in a direction altering what we know of it today.