To see everyone better, the Series One groupset either comes with a standard smart camera or an “extra large” version up to 4K. It uses a 20.3MP sensor with 4.3x optical zoom and provides digital panning, tilt and zoom movements due to this higher resolution. Google is also using a similar program to the Nest Hub Max here by offering participant auto-framing. It works with rooms for 10 to 18 people
When there is only one person in a large room, they can use the one-touch auto zoom option on the control panel so that callers can better see them. When other people join the meeting, the smart camera will zoom out for inclusion in the frame. Google said its system recognizes the number of people in a room “based on physical objects and other attributes and voice” and that it does not use face scanning. He also said that each group can “anonymously sense the number of meeting participants to help monitor room use and maintain safety protocols.”
This means cameras can help keep track of the number of people in the room, and group product manager TJ Varghese briefly said this could extend to “any new types of requirements, be it social distancing requirements etc.”
Varghese also said that the company is aware of issues with cameras that make skin darker. “I think this is something that has been finally recognized and accepted by the industry, and we are actively working with partners to develop algorithms that can do that,” he said. The company has a roadmap in place that will consider “continuous improvements in lighting, low-light processing, HDR processing, etc.” We’ll learn more in the coming months, Varghese said, adding that “our goal like Google is to develop and represent dark skin tones in a much better way than conventional cameras.”
The remaining pieces of the kits are fairly simple. The 10.1-inch touchscreen control panel looks a lot like the Nest Hub Max, while the microphones are like pucks we’ve already seen in many offices, with the exception of the fabric cover that appears in other Google smart home devices. In fact, all Series One products feature the same rounded corners and texture as other Google devices. Controllers (both touch screen and simple manual remote control) will support voice control so you can call into a meeting by asking the assistant to connect you.
Two color options will be available for the entire series – charcoal and chalk – and a small room set will cost $ 2,699. Google said it designed Series One as a “long-term investment” and is expected to last for at least five years. While Lenovo is a partner in the launch of the new equipment, Google also said it may have other products with different device makers for the series in the future. Although the company has partnered with companies like ASUS and Lenovo on conference room hardware in the past, the One Series appears to be a concerted effort to make their own devices with Google’s well-integrated software.
