Barco Unveils AI-Powered SmartFocus to Revolutionize Hybrid Meetings at ISE 2025

Barco Unveils AI-Powered SmartFocus to Revolutionize Hybrid Meetings at ISE 2025

(IN BRIEF) Barco has introduced SmartFocus, an AI-driven feature designed to enhance hybrid meeting experiences by using laptop cameras to bridge the gap between in-room and remote participants. This innovation automatically switches between room and laptop cameras, optimizing both the video and audio quality for remote participants. SmartFocus, part of Barco’s Smart Meeting Flows, eliminates the need for additional hardware and allows remote attendees to experience a dynamic, real-time view of room interactions, including body language and facial expressions. Barco is showcasing this new feature at the ISE tradeshow in Barcelona, where attendees can experience SmartFocus firsthand.

(PRESS RELEASE) KORTRIJK, 6-Feb-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Barco, a recognized leader in meeting room technology, has unveiled SmartFocus, a new AI-powered feature designed to enhance hybrid meeting experiences. This cutting-edge innovation uses the cameras on laptops within the meeting room to bridge the gap between remote and in-room participants. SmartFocus automatically adjusts between the room camera and the laptop camera, optimizing the audio and visual experience based on the flow of conversation and interactions in the room.

SmartFocus is the latest addition to Barco’s Smart Meeting Flows, a collection of intelligent, intent-driven features designed to improve the experience of all meeting participants. ClickShare, already known for its seamless integration in meeting rooms, now offers even greater value for remote participants with this new AI-driven feature, ensuring that everyone in the meeting feels fully engaged. By utilizing the existing laptop cameras, SmartFocus eliminates the need for additional hardware while offering remote participants a dynamic and clear view of the room’s activities.

The AI in SmartFocus intelligently switches between views, moving from a broad shot of the room to a close-up of the speaker, depending on the natural flow of the discussion. This allows remote attendees to witness the full range of interactions, from facial expressions to body language, ensuring that no important detail is missed. Furthermore, ClickShare enhances the audio experience by using the room’s peripherals for automatic audio optimization, so that remote participants hear clear sound without the need for manual adjustments or relying on individual laptop microphones. This ensures that the active speakers are clearly highlighted, and that the meeting’s recap is accurate, facilitating smooth follow-ups.

Oliver Van Camp, Product Director of Meeting Experience at Barco, stated, “ClickShare has already set the bar for user experience and meeting equity in the hybrid environment. With the addition of SmartFocus, we are taking the experience to the next level by ensuring remote participants benefit from the same high-quality interaction as those in the room. This is just one example of how we’re leveraging AI to enhance BYOD environments.”

Barco invites attendees to explore SmartFocus in person at the upcoming ISE tradeshow in Barcelona from February 4-7, where they can experience the new feature firsthand at booth 2M 100. Existing ClickShare customers can also activate SmartFocus for their own meetings through a simple update.

About Barco

Barco, headquartered in Kortrijk (Belgium), is a global company leading in visualization, networking, and collaboration technology. Its innovative solutions drive advancements in the healthcare, enterprise, and entertainment markets. At the heart of Barco’s success are over 3,000 dedicated ‘visioneers’, each passionately contributing to driving change through technology.

Listed on Euronext (BAR), Reuters (BARBt.BR), and Bloomberg (BAR BB), Barco realized sales of 1,050 million euro in 2023.

For further insights, please visit www.barco.com or connect on X, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook.

Barco. Visioneering a bright tomorrow. © 2024

Media Contact:

Yannic Laleeuwe
Marketing Director, Meeting Experience
+32 473 869453
yannic.laleeuwe@barco.com

SOURCE: Barco