Jabra launches intelligent camera line up for insight driven collaboration in the hybrid world

• Jabra PanaCast 50 intelligent video bar and PanaCast 20 personal camera reinvent the meeting room and hybrid work for modern collaboration through immersive video
• Safety Capacity and Room Usage Insights enables timely decisions in the new normal
• PeopleCount generates anonymous room occupancy data
• Unique 180° field of view includes everyone in the picture
• Premium sound from the world leaders in professional audio
• Edge AI processing enhances the meeting experience and provides extra security

Copenhagen, Denmark – 27 April 2021– Jabra today announces the new Jabra PanaCast camera line-up that’s set to reinvent meeting room video, audio, and intelligence for the ‘new normal’ workspace: the Jabra PanaCast 50 – engineered to be the world’s first new-normal-ready intelligent video bar, and the Jabra PanaCast 20, a ground-breaking intelligent personal camera.

Hybrid working is the new normal. Teams are collaborating more, and seeking to do so in a flexible, hybrid network – from cafes, to their home, and satellite offices. Since the beginning of the global pandemic, we’ve seen a significant increase in video usage as we work more in distributed teams – with 66% of office workers using either a stand-alone webcam or built-in PC camera pre-COVID, and now 86% of home workers doing the same¹. The Jabra PanaCast range has been engineered to help businesses navigate the flexible hybrid way of working, combining immersive vision and video, world-leading audio technologies and cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence to completely reinvent meetings and collaboration.

When it comes to a solution for the office, organisations are often forced to choose between outstanding audio and high-definition video. Jabra PanaCast 50 addresses that by offering a plug and play solution to deliver the most immersive and engaging video experience available on the market today.

PanaCast 50: Immersive video and sound

The PanaCast 50 effectively takes on the role of the “director” of your meeting – intelligently adjusting the video stream to follow the action in the meeting. The Virtual Director feature uses both AI-based video and audio streams, as well as Jabra’s proprietary AI algorithms, to automatically adjust the frame according to what’s happening in the meeting. This allows Jabra PanaCast 50 to detect active speakers and the flow of conversation, thereby delivering a remote meeting experience that’s fully immersive and responsive.

Three 13-megapixel cameras mounted in a high-precision multi-camera array create an immersive 180° field of view in Panoramic-4K that covers the whole room. Crisp, high-definition, patented real-time video stitching technology uses advanced algorithms to decide exactly the right way to live-stitch the video streams together in real time with ultra-low latency. From single person calls to full team meetings, this intelligent technology always includes everyone in the most optimum way.

Jabra PanaCast 50 features nine powerful Edge processors, including two state-of-the art Edge AI processors, specifically engineered for audio and video. This ultra-advanced system architecture enables the intelligent video bar to carry out real-time integration of audio, video and data. This powers the Intelligent Zoom feature which always frames the user perfectly for the far end. The Virtual Director feature transitions video frames from speaker to speaker, depending on what is happening in the meeting. This makes it much easier for remote participants to follow the discussion and allows Jabra PanaCast 50 to deliver an immersive and engaging video experience, without distraction.

The Jabra PanaCast 50 can deliver two video streams simultaneously. This allows the device to perform multiple functions at once, so while one video stream is busy focusing on the meeting participants, the second can be used to focus on a particular area of interest within the room. The two video streams also enable the whiteboard sharing feature, which is built into the device itself – it allows whiteboard content to be captured and enhanced in real time. This is then streamed live within the meeting, lesson or lecture so every participant or student can see the whiteboard content and contribute to the discussion, leaving nobody at a disadvantage because they’re not present in the room.

Insight driven behaviour

In addition to dual video streams, the PanaCast 50 also delivers an independent always-180° data stream which provides anonymous people count meta-data as real-time numerical information. Because of its 180° field-of-view, PanaCast 50 can achieve 100% coverage of the meeting room and provides the best opportunity to count everybody in the room. This information is anonymous as the device simply counts people; it doesn’t recognize them.

The PanaCast 50 PeopleCount feature enables the system to compare that count with a customer-defined room capacity limit number to determine if the room utilization is over capacity. If the number of people exceeds the capacity limit, the PanaCast 50 provides visual and aural cues to the people present, enabling them to make good decisions for their safety and wellbeing. This means that anyone present in the room gets instant, real-time notifications when local guidelines are exceeded. Additionally, through the network interface, longer-term analytics data is available for IT administrators, enabling the business to make data-driven decisions about how they’re utilizing their meeting spaces. Organisations will have an overview of how many rooms are being used, even when there is no active meeting, helping inform decisions on office space.

Powerful sound

The PanaCast 50 features eight beamforming microphones with precision voice detection which are backed up with intelligent algorithms that remove disruptive noise. Four powerful Jabra-engineered speakers – two 50mm woofers and two 20mm tweeters – in a zero-vibration stereo setup fill the room with premium, high-definition audio, while the latest 2-way audio technology delivers more natural conversations. The PanaCast 50 is also optimized for all leading UC platforms. As well as working with Microsoft Teams and Zoom, it is also a device for use with Microsoft Teams Rooms and Zoom Rooms, making collaboration easier.

PanaCast 20: Superior security for video collaboration in your pocket

With the Jabra PanaCast 20 flexible workers can benefit from high-quality, secure video collaboration, no matter where they are, in a beautifully designed, compact, portable and easy-to-use package. The device features AI that is managed on-device with Edge processing – and advanced experiences are generated directly on the device without extra data being sent to the cloud for processing, without need to install additional software. All the experiences are powered on the device itself, significantly minimizing the risk of security breaches and maximizing speed, accuracy, and the overall quality of the experience. For those using the camera, it has a built-in lens cover to guarantee privacy, and prevent the camera being left “on” accidentally, adding an extra layer of ‘peace of mind’ for the user.

Security assurances for those working outside of the office are important, but equally so are video and picture quality. The PanaCast 20 delivers this via 4K Ultra HD Video, HDR video as well as personalized Intelligent Zoom, which always frames the main user properly, regardless of their environment. It also has automatic lighting correction, so whatever the time of day, or the situation in which they’re collaborating, their video stream is optimized in the best way feasible.

Aurangzeb Khan, Senior Vice President of Intelligent Vision Systems at Jabra, says, “Extraordinary times call for extraordinary solutions and we believe the new Jabra PanaCast 50 and PanaCast 20 deliver just that. We are happy to present the PanaCast 50, the first video bar to combine world-leading Jabra audio with our unique 180° field of view and unique room usage insights, for inclusive, collaborative meetings in the new normal. The time is now to start thinking about future-proofing offices, creating optimal collaboration circumstances for flexible hybrid workers and to ensure maximum productivity as your teams return. We invite businesses, organizations and institutions all around the world to experience audio and video like never before with the Jabra PanaCast intelligent devices.”

More at https://www.jabra.com/panacast

Jabra PanaCast 50 Key features and specifications:

• Astounding sound from the world leaders in professional audio
• Unique 180° field of view keeps everyone in the picture at a safe distance²
• Virtual Director intelligently adjusts the video in real time for more immersive meetings²
• Safety Capacity and Room Usage Insights generates anonymous room occupancy data for all your meeting rooms at once
• Network-connected system enables easy remote management and data delivery
• Real-time whiteboard streaming for more inclusive remote collaboration
• Uniquely advanced system architecture and built-in dual Edge AI processors powers a range of intelligent features
• Plug-and-play for fast setup and maximum ease of use
• Easy installation, with a choice of wall mount, table stand and screen mount (VESA)³
• Works with Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Teams Rooms, Zoom, and Zoom Rooms, and optimized for all leading UC platforms

Jabra PanaCast 50: Available from 15^th June 2021 in Black and Grey, MSRP: $1195/€1065 MSRP

Find out more at https://www.jabra.com/panacast50

Jabra PanaCast 20 Key features and specifications:

• Personalized Intelligent Zoom
• Intelligent Light Optimization
• Picture-in-Picture feature - users can define and easily integrate a second video stream within their main picture
• 4k Ultra, HDR video
• Edge AI processing – adding advanced experiences processing and an additional layer of security for flexible working from anywhere
• Plug-and-play connectivity for instant collaboration
• Works with with Microsoft Teams, Zoom and optimized for all leading UC platforms

Jabra PanaCast 20: Available from 1^st August 2021 in black, MSRP: $299/€267

Find out more at https://www.jabra.com/panacast20

*includes wall mount

¹ Jabra Research w. Kantar: “Work from Home during Covid-19”, November 2020

² Choose between Virtual Director and Intelligent Zoom via Jabra Direct and Jabra Xpress

³ Table Stand and Screen Mount sold separately

Notes to editors

PR CONTACT

Claus Fonnesbech

Senior Director, Global PR & Communications, Jabra

cfonnesbech@jabra.com

+45 2588 4107

About Jabra

Jabra is a leader in engineering communications and sound solutions – innovating to empower both consumers and businesses. Proudly part of the GN Group, we are committed to letting people hear more, do more, and be more than they ever thought possible. Through sound and video, we help transform lives. Jabra engineering excellence leads the way, building on 150 years of pioneering work. This allows us to create integrated headsets and communications tools that help professionals work more productively; wireless headphones and earbuds that let consumers better enjoy calls, music, and media; and pioneering video conferencing solutions, enabling seamless collaboration between distributed teams. Jabra employs approx. 1,800 people worldwide, and reported annual revenue of DKK 6,2bn in 2019. The GN Group, founded in 1869, operates in 100 countries and delivers innovation, reliability, and ease of use. Today, GN employs 6,500 people, and is Nasdaq Copenhagen listed. GN makes life sound better. www.jabra.com