Qualcomm unveils video collaboration platform suite

Qualcomm Technologies has launched its Video Collaboration Platform, a suite of video-collaboration systems designed to allow original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to design and deploy video-conferencing products featuring superior video, audio and customisable on-device artificial intelligence (AI).

Initially looking to enable immersive, connected experiences in use cases across enterprise, healthcare, educational and home environments, the Qualcomm Video Collaboration Platforms provides essential hardware and software features specifically tailored for video conferencing, from enterprise video collaboration systems and huddle room systems to digital whiteboards, to touch controllers and personal devices for the home.

The Qualcomm Video Collaboration Platform suite comprises the VC5, VC3 and VC1 products. VC5 is designed to enable premium, video-conferencing experiences through ready-to-use or customisable AI audio and video features developed specifically for enterprise environments. The company said that companies can use hardware-meets-software reference design to launch all-in-one, front-of-room conferencing systems quickly with VC5.

VC3 offers video-conferencing features, including multi ultra-HD camera support, Wi-Fi 6E, and advanced AI audio and video features, providing “ultimate” flexibility in designing and deploying video-conferencing products. Intended uses range from huddle room systems and video-conferencing cameras to USB video bars and personal devices.

VC1 integrates computing performance, robust connectivity, and multimedia features into one solution purposefully designed for high-quality video-conferencing accessories, such as touch controllers, meeting room schedulers, and tablets to save development time and costs.

With support for Android and Linux, the three AI-rich platforms are claimed to offer greater flexibility and ability to customise and deploy video-conferencing products across diverse environments. Qualcomm Technologies said its combined innovations will work together to deliver features that will “eliminate distractions, enhance productivity and allow remote-meeting callers to feel more connected to conference room participants”.

In recognition of a growing trend, Qualcomm noted that with the rapid advances in generative AI, future meeting experiences will offer even more advanced video, speech and text capabilities. It added that collaboration devices with dedicated hardware support for on-chip AI acceleration will be able to optimise these experiences by splitting workloads between the cloud and edge-based device.

Qualcomm also cited research showing a significant 64% of businesses believe that artificial intelligence will help to improve customer relationships and increase their overall productivity. While video conferencing took off as a work-from-home enabler during the pandemic, it is now fundamental to business productivity in a hybrid working world.

“Generative AIe is rapidly revolutionising the way we work, learn, and connect with one another at a rapid pace, and enabling more adaptive, immersive experiences than ever before” said Dev Singh, vice-president of business development and head of building, enterprise  and industrial automation at Qualcomm Technologies.

“[We are] continuing to utilise our rich history and leading technologies across connectivity, compute, AI, camera, and audio to ensure today’s immersive collaboration solutions are equipped to support the ever-expanding uses for tomorrow. The Qualcomm Video Collaboration Platform – and Qualcomm Technologies as a whole – offers our customers one stop for the technologies they need to develop a variety of different types of conference devices.”

The industry is already showing support for the Qualcomm Video Collaboration Platform. Eric Yu, head of hardware partnership at Zoom, said: “Zoom welcomes the broad suite of video-collaboration platforms that Qualcomm Technologies is announcing today.

“These platforms help ensure that our partners have a variety of choices when designing their collaboration products. Qualcomm Technologies and Zoom have a shared vision to bring to market the best possible meeting experience to all of Zoom’s customers.”