What if your video call wasn't just an ordinary video call? What if it could be something more than what you've been used to? What if you could virtually be in the room where it happens?
Microsoft could be the next software for you to use as it will soon be releasing a brand new "Together Mode."
As reported by The Verge, Microsoft Team's new "Together Mode" is designed to create a virtual live avatar of yourself using Artificial Intelligence to segment your face and shoulders and place you and your co-workers together in a virtual space.
The new Together Mode will be released to users next month and it will debut initially with an auditorium view--for now. However, Microsoft will soon be working with more views in the future. So stay tuned for more updates.
"People typically become more relaxed, more attentive to one another, more playful, and yet more focused on shared goals. The design offers unique benefits: less fatigue from frequent video meetings, better sense of connection with others, and more effective meetings," said Jaron Lanier from the Microsoft blog.
What makes Together Mode unique is that you can wave at co-workers, tap them on the shoulder, or do virtual high fives.
Currently, Microsoft is adding video filters, live reactions, and live transcripts to Teams later this year alongside the ability to translate live captions into subtitles to make it easier for people to understand.
For now, this new mode can sit up to 49 people in a single room. However, this number will soon grow 20 times more and can even reach up to 20,000 if there are people watching a presentation or a discussion.
Dynamic View
The Dynamic View gives meeting presenters mode control over the content of what participants are seeing. "Using AI, meetings dynamically optimize shared content and video participants. New controls--including the ability to show shared content and specific participants side-by-side - let you personalize the view to suit your preferences and needs." as noted by Windows Central.
When to Use It
In the blog post, Microsoft gives out suggestions on what specific occasion is best when you use the new "Together Mode" and when not to use it. Here are the following pointers Jarod Lanier gave out:
- Together mode is especially well-suited to calls in which multiple people will speak as it's easier and more comfortable for people to find moments to enter a conversation.
- Together mode helps when you must go to a lot of video meetings. Most users report less meeting fatigue.
- Together mode is helpful when a group might have trouble staying attentive for example, in a classroom setting.
- Together mode supports presenters who need to "read the room" or get energy from attendees.
