Artificial Intelligence (AI) is quickly becoming a mainstay in our everyday lives. Whether it be text-to-image generators like DALL-E or language processing tools like ChatGPT, sophisticated AI tools are revolutionizing the way we work.

That’s especially true in the hybrid workplace, where organizations are searching for new ways to bridge the gap between distributed employees. Given this challenge, it’s no wonder that videoconferencing has emerged as AI’s next step in revolutionizing how we live and work.

Let’s explore AI’s role in videoconferencing and how its latest innovations are improving the meeting experience.

The Rise of AI-Powered Videoconferencing

It should come as no surprise that demand for videoconferencing apps has grown exponentially since the start of the pandemic in spring 2020. Without question, virtual meetings are the bedrock of hybrid work, enabling organizations to seamlessly connect and collaborate across a distributed workforce.

This uptick in demand runs parallel with the emergence of several new competitors in the videoconferencing market. In turn, vendors have been compelled to improve their services by releasing feature-rich additions to their existing applications.

AI technologies have also advanced in leaps and bounds over the same period. In fact, reports show that AI adoption is 2.5 times greater now than it was in 2017. The market is projected to skyrocket twentyfold by 2030 to nearly $2 trillion.

Now, the two worlds are converging. Leading platforms are weaving AI capabilities into their videoconferencing tools to enhance the meeting experience for maximum productivity and performance.

Four Ways AI Can Transform the Videoconferencing Experience

Gone are the days when organizing, running and managing your virtual meetings was a clunky, cumbersome endeavor. Thanks to AI’s advantages, videoconferencing platforms are empowering organizations to kick up their internal and external meetings several notches.

Here are four of the most impactful ways AI-driven solutions can improve the meeting experience.

#1 Natural Language Processing (NLP)

Natural language processing is a branch of AI that enables computers to understand text and spoken words in the same way a real person can. In other words, it’s about giving AI programs the power of conversational intelligence.

Modern videoconferencing tools are leveraging NLP across a host of innovative capabilities, including:

• Voice-to-text transcription: Using NLP, an AI-enabled platform can recognize and process complete sentences as they’re spoken during the meeting. This allows the system to automatically capture meeting notes, summarize conversations and generate searchable transcripts. When machine learning tools are incorporated, videoconferencing platforms can even identify who is speaking during the meeting.
• Real-time translation: Global enterprises may be holding internal or external meetings that stretch beyond borders and include attendees who speak different languages. With AI, the meeting software can give everyone an equitable experience by automatically translating live audio into the language of any user’s choice.
• Closed captions: Likewise, NLP capabilities can analyze audio and generate closed captions to make the meeting experience more inclusive for all participants.
• Noise removal: From cars and pets to housemates and more, there’s no telling what sounds might suddenly disrupt and derail a meeting. Machine learning can be used to train AI to identify and remove those noises before they’re picked up. For hybrid teams, this is especially useful, as automatic background noise removal and acoustic fencing filters out distractions in different locations to keep meetings running smoothly.
• Sentiment analysis: Consider the customer experience use case for videoconferencing: contact center agents working on resolutions in real-time. One major benefit for agents is AI’s ability to understand sentiment and tone during a conversation. Programs can analyze a speaker’s voice to uncover pain points and frustrations during the interaction. This allows managers to evaluate both customer experience and agent performance for future improvements.

#2 Conversational AI

Although they’re also built on NLP, conversational AI programs stand on their own. In simple terms, conversational AI refers to platforms that can chat and interact with users. That said, their capabilities stretch far beyond simple back-and-forth communication.

For example, voice-based virtual assistants can be used to streamline meeting management. Users can simply speak to their endpoints and apps to kickstart a meeting, turn on their camera, capture important items and control the experience from start to finish.

Chatbots can also be asked to schedule follow-up meetings with attendees, assign action items, send automated reminders and more.

#3 Computer Vision (CV)

According to Aragon Research, computer vision will have the biggest impact on intelligent videoconferencing in the future. This type of AI uses algorithms to understand, analyze and reconstruct visual inputs from image or video data.

This has several innovative use cases for meetings:

• Optimized framing: CV can help participants stay in their cameras’ frame when presenting to colleagues and customers. By automatically tracking the speaker’s movements, the system keeps you centered in your video to eliminate unwanted distractions. In addition, multiple cameras in a room can now work together by switching cameras views to focus on the active speaker. The result? A cinematic video experience that follows the conversation from one speaker to the next.
• Adaptive tracking: For meetings with multiple speakers, CV programs can ensure everyone is equally represented on screen. During webinars, cameras can adaptively track speakers as they move across the room or auditorium stage, ensuring that they’re always in everyone’s view.
• Immersive presentations: Virtual presentations are challenging in hybrid settings. CV allows presenters to deliver more immersive content by automatically screen sharing in front of presentation materials.
• Meeting zones: AI will soon use machine learning to automatically learn and frame your space based on predefined boundaries. This will ensure that distraction from passers-by are removed from the meeting in glass-walled rooms or open space.

#4 Productivity Analytics

People spend a lot of time in meetings these days. So, it’s important for organizations to ensure that time is well spent on value-added activities and core business processes. Fortunately, AI-powered solutions are helping businesses capture meeting data and leverage it to their advantage.

AI enhances data collection and offers users the power to evaluate key metrics. For example, platforms can record time spent on certain agenda items and activities, back-to-back meetings and other real-time insights that can be delivered directly to employees to help improve their productivity.

The Future of AI-Driven Videoconferencing

In truth, we are only scratching the surface when it comes to what AI can bring to the table. But, with the videoconferencing market expected to double by 2030, it’s safe to say that AI-powered meetings will be a major asset for years to come.

Robyn Rawlings is director of campaigns and content marketing at Webex by Cisco.

The post AI’s Revolutionary Impact on the Videoconferencing Experience appeared first on My TechDecisions.

The MXA920 incorporates Next Generation Array Architecture for improved directional audio pick-up and clear and natural speech. It’s easy to install and use, includes onboard IntelliMix DSP and provides voice lift, sound reinforcement. It also has camera-tracking capabilities for a premium videoconference experience. The MXA920 is certified for Works with Google Meet when combined with the ANIUSB-MATRIX and the Microflex MXN5W-C Networked Loudspeaker.

The MXA902, the latest addition to the Microflex Advance line, is a conferencing ceiling array microphone with integrated loudspeaker and IntelliMix DSP. Thus, it is suitable for small and medium-size meeting rooms when combined with the ANIUSB-MATRIX. As of today, Shure’s MXA920, MXA902 and ANIUSB-MATRIX are Works With Google Meet certified, the company says.

“We understand how critical it is to ensure seamless conferencing performance, which requires solid collaboration with UC platforms. By certifying both the Shure MXA920 and MXA902 for Google Meet, we support IT and AV professionals with reliable and innovative technology for enhancing the end-user experience,” says Julie Crawford, strategic alliance senior marketing manager at Shure.

Another version of this article originally appeared on our sister-site Commercial Integrator on November 10, 2023. It has since been updated for My TechDecisions’ audience.

The post Shure Microflex Advance MXA920 & MXA902 Receive Google Meet Certification, Enhancing Hybrid Meeting Experiences appeared first on My TechDecisions.

In today’s hybrid-work environments, individuals work from a variety of spaces, and in nearly every workspace, noise and poor sound quality can negatively affect collaboration and productivity. A recent Equipping Your Employees for Hybrid Work study found that 85% of work-from-home users struggle with audio issues, whether it’s from background noise from other participants or poor sound quality through computer speakers. The same study found that hybrid workforces aren’t properly equipped with modern collaboration tools, such as quality headsets.

“Zone Wireless 2 is Logitech’s top-of-the-line headset for skilled professionals who need technology with a high degree of control, precision and innovation,” says Prakash Arunkundrum, chief operating officer at Logitech. “We built Zone Wireless 2 with advanced technology for uncompromising performance at a lower carbon footprint.”

Zone Wireless 2 Features

Per a statement, the headset notably allows the user to suppress ambient noise from the other person’s side of the call, even if that person is not wearing a noise-canceling headset. The Advanced Call Clarity feature, activated through Logi Tune, uses AI to separate the other caller’s voice from their background. Noise-canceling mics suppress distracting sounds and near conversations through advanced beamforming technology that captures the user’s voice, thus creating a two-way noise suppression system.

Hybrid Active Noise Cancellation (ANC)

Hybrid active noise cancellation (ANC) blocks out ambient noise around employee workspaces such as keyboard clicks, nearby talkers and HVAC noises; and transparency mode, which helps users stay aware of their surroundings while wearing the headset, the company states. Upon setup on Logi Tune, users can use the Personal EQ feature to customize the headset to fit their individual hearing range through a self-administered hearing test.

Bluetooth and Smart Enumeration

As professionals transition through different scenarios in their workday, they can stay connected with multipoint Bluetooth and smart enumeration. According to the company, the patent-pending feature solves the problem users often experience when they leave their computer, lose connection, then return to a setup that appears to be audio-connected but isn’t. Smart enumeration is the result of communication among headset, USB-C receiver and the operating system to intelligently switch between headset and computer audio without the user having to manually toggle among audio sources or remove a dongle, says Logitech.

Battery Life

To power up professional busy work schedules, Zone Wireless 2 provides up to 40 hours of battery life, with talk time and listening time varying based on whether ANC is on or off. A quick five-minute charge provides up to one hour of talk time, says Logitech.

The headset include breathable earcups, available in graphite, off-white and rose colorways to suit professionals’ personality and style. While enjoying immersive sound, style, and comfort, professionals can tap or swipe on the ear cup to control media and volume using smart touch controls or enable on-ear detection in Logi Tune to automatically play or pause media when wearing or removing the headset.

IT Management

According to Logitech, IT teams can deploy Zone Wireless 2 to their workforce — the headset is certified for Microsoft Teams with a microphone for open office, Zoom, Google Meet, Google Voice, and Fast Pair. Integration with Sync, Logitech’s device management platform, provides a secure and scalable approach to remotely manage Logitech devices. Sync allows IT admins to update firmware and troubleshoot Zone Wireless 2, whether the headset is used remotely or in the office, from a single, cloud-based interface.

Zone Wireless 2 Sustainability Features

Sustainability is core to every design decision from the moment raw materials are sourced to the end-of-life of Logitech’s products, says Logitech. Zone Wireless 2 is designed to give users the ability to extend the life of their device by including interchangeable earpads and a replaceable battery, keeping more headsets on heads and extending the life of the headset.

According to the company, the plastic parts in Zone Wireless 2 include 20% certified post-consumer recycled plastic to give a second life to end-of-life plastic from old consumer electronics, and the aluminum in Zone Wireless 2’s decoration ring and temple extension are made by a process that uses renewable energy instead of traditional fossil-fuel energy.

The paper packaging of Zone Wireless 2 comes from FSCTM-certified forests and other controlled sources. Logitech says it is committed to creating a climate positive world by actively working to reduce our carbon impact. Zone Wireless 2 is certified carbon neutral. The carbon impact of the product and packaging has been reduced to zero due to Logitech’s investment in carbon offsetting and removal projects.

Zone Wireless 2 Pricing & Availability

Per a statement, the Zone Wireless 2 is available globally on logitech.com and through authorized resellers. The suggested price for the headset is $299 USD. To purchase through retail channels, Zone 950 is available in the U.S. and Canada (graphite only).

Another version of this article originally appeared on our sister-site Commercial Integrator on October 16, 2023. It has since been updated for My TechDecisions’ audience.

The post Logitech Introduces Zone Wireless 2 AI-Powered Headset for Hybrid Work appeared first on My TechDecisions.

As expected from authorities anticipating an increase in threats to the education sector, cyberattacks are continuing to wreak havoc on colleges and universities across the United States. As of the beginning of May, there had already been 27 confirmed ransomware attacks against U.S. institutions. These ransomware numbers only tell part of the story as data breaches, malware attacks, and more account for an even greater number of threats, not all of which are reported to the public as they occur.

The second quarter of 2023 has seen a flurry of cyberattacks strike higher education institutions, including West Virginia’s Bluefield University, Tennessee’s Chattanooga State Community College, and Georgia’s Mercer University, among others. Beyond the obvious consequences of ransom payments and leaked personal data, some of the most severe attacks in recent memory have culminated in the delay and cancelation of classes, as well as the closure of one college in Illinois entirely.

With attacks against higher education on the rise year-over-year, campuses have become one of the top targets for attempted data breaches, ransomware attacks, malware, and more. Feeling the effects of various financial and/or technological hurdles, most schools are not currently equipped with the security controls to adequately defend themselves from increasingly sophisticated cyber threats that continue to hamper the community.

This increase in cyberactivity should serve as a wake-up call for higher education institutions to reevaluate and enhance their cybersecurity postures. Here are some of the top considerations for higher education leaders seeking to plug the gaps in their cybersecurity strategy.

Securing Data

One of the recurring themes in attacks against higher education is the vulnerability of sensitive data. From student, staff, and faculty information to sensitive school records, there are countless data assets that, if breached, can be weaponized against institutions.

Data exfiltration, or unauthorized data transfer, is a leading threat to data security in higher education. To help prevent data loss, colleges and universities need to be able to monitor user and entity behavioral analytics (UEBA) and they need to be able to watch their network using a network detection and response (NDR) tool. This allows schools to detect, qualify, and remediate any anomalous activity at the individual level, as well as malicious or unauthorized attempts at exfiltration.

Managing Access

For colleges and universities, student information, research data, and assessment criteria are all critical to daily operations. However, it can be common for institutions to encounter unauthorized access to these types of crucial information due to a lack of IT resources and necessary safeguards. This can result in the loss of confidentiality, integrity, and availability of technological assets, among other things.

To better facilitate and manage user access to sensitive data, schools should implement an effective IT security strategy intentionally designed to protect critical assets. This strategy should include the compartmentalization of data and provide a least privileged approach to accessing that data. Utilizing a least privileged approach, users are only granted access to the data required for their specific roles. This helps to prioritize the protection of intellectual property that is so valuable to higher education institutions. In doing so, schools can better protect the privacy of their students and employees and their reputations.

Detecting Threats

Even with cybersecurity mechanisms in place, no security threat can be resolved if it falls undetected. Colleges and universities must be able to detect, alert and automate security response capabilities when threats arise. Institutions should consider adopting security orchestration, automation, and response (SOAR) tools to help standardize and scale their incident response.

By relying on SOAR, schools can automate workflows to accelerate various stages of the threat investigation and response processes. Given the severity of a particular threat, it can be escalated to key decision-makers for a manual response or remediated automatically (or semi-automatically) from a playbook of preselected actions. Ultimately, SOAR is intended to help security teams cut through the noise and allow them to prioritize and direct their attention toward the most pressing threats.

Protecting and Prospering

Given the attack patterns of the last two years, cyberattacks in higher education are not going away overnight. Colleges and universities continue to be targeted by malicious actors for a reason. As long as institutions remain underequipped to monitor and respond to cybersecurity threats, they will find themselves with a target on their back.

Regardless of an institution’s budgetary constraints, there are tried and true precautions that can be taken to better protect their campus. Implementing threat detection, stricter access controls, and stronger data security measures are all foundational components of an effective cybersecurity strategy. By solidifying that foundation, colleges and universities can do their part to avoid being next in the line of higher education victims.

Another version of this article originally appeared on our sister-site Campus Safety on August 14, 2023. It has since been updated for My TechDecisions’ audience.

Kevin Kirkwood is Deputy CISO for LogRhythm.

The post Spike in Cyberattacks Exposes Vulnerabilities in University Security Measures appeared first on My TechDecisions.

Every hybrid meeting space has the same fundamental needs. Of course, it goes without saying that audio is a critical component of any hybrid meeting. In-person participants must be able to hear remote participants clearly, while also ensuring that their own audio is captured and delivered reliably. But high-quality video and an easy-to-use meeting interface are equally critical to collaboration success. 

Each meeting space needs the right mix of products to deliver an excellent experience. Huddle spaces, boardrooms, training facilities and auditoriums all need specific solutions optimized for the events and activities that they contain. Meanwhile, clients want a consistent and seamless experience across every room in the workplace. Clients expect technology to help maximize their productivity and collaboration effectiveness while enhancing their overall experience. To achieve those ends, technology must be scalable and flexible, requiring minimal setup time. 

Grand Technology Refresh 

Erica Carroll, director, product marketing and training, Mersive Technologies, reflects on the beginning of the pandemic. “There was a mad scramble to make businesses and education institutions operational again,” she recalls. Indeed, COVID-19 forced even the most recalcitrant institutions into the digital world. In a sense, then, the pandemic paved the way for what Carroll describes as “a grand technology refresh.” She continues, “The investments made during that time were thoughtful, and [many organizations had] the time and space to truly plan for the future and what it might hold.” 

So, let’s try to differentiate thoughtful technology implementations from slapdash deployments. If you ask Beau Wilder, head of future customer experiences and product portfolio management, HP| Poly, the first step in finding the right solution is to do your homework on what hybrid work means in your client’s business. “I think with that understanding of what a day [or a week] in the life is like,” he continues. “It’s about choosing purpose-built solutions to meet those needs.” Wilder declares that, if integrators don’t understand and empathize with the client’s needs on a deep level, there’s no way to effectively futureproof. 

As Wilder puts it, “You may have the best technology that can last five to 10 years, but, if you don’t have the [vision of] what they’re trying to accomplish, you’re [just] making an expensive investment. Even if it holds up hardware-wise, it’s not going to deliver the right experience.” Thus, while upgradability is, of course, important to futureproofing, it’s equally important to comprehensively understand the client’s vision, needs and pain points. 

On the topic of upgrading and systems growth, Carroll speaks about how today’s hybrid approach, which combines hardware and software resources, can provide the best of all worlds as clients anticipate manufacturers migrating toward cloud-based collaboration solutions. “The hardware/software approach gives facilities the option to upgrade the hardware or software independently, allowing for more granular control over the system’s evolution,” she says. This, Carroll notes, helps stakeholders pace systems with the demands of work and education environments. 

If you ask Jeff Bethke about the concept of futureproofed technology, you’ll be met with some skepticism. The chief business officer at Level 3 Audio Visual (L3AV), a leading communications solutions provider, says, “Unless you have a crystal ball, there are no assurances that any technology is futureproofed.” However, he adds that one way to avoid costly “rip and replace” cycles is to lean into standards. “This is pretty much the case when you invest in a UCaaS appliance running Android or Windows,” Bethke explains. “If your business pivots from Teams to Zoom for video, you can change the application mode and be up and running on a new platform. Taking a different approach and focusing on USB connectivity for organizations embracing BYOD allows whatever the user brings in to connect to the room,” he says. 

According to Bethke, L3AV has worked with customers who don’t yet have a clear UCaaS platform strategy. “But,” he notes, “Zoom is on the roadmap. So, starting with a Zoom-certified appliance like a Poly Studio X Series that also supports BYOD is a great way to improve the meeting-room experience on day one. [It also] allows for an easy transition to a native Zoom Room experience when the organization is ready.” 

Interoperability  

Aligning with his advocacy for standards-based approaches, Bethke also points to interoperability as key. “Interoperability is a critical decision point and should be part of every discovery session with a customer,” he declares. “We’re seeing cloud video interop (CVI) discussions fade away as the major UCaaS platforms are releasing their own native interop. The best scenario for most is to have your native UCaaS experience but also [support] defined workflows to join meeting invites from other platforms with native interoperability from the main UCaaS provider.” It’s still a one-touch-to-join experience, Bethke reasons, if your organization’s main platform is Teams but if you can still forward a Zoom or WebEx meeting to that room. “Making sure end users understand that is key,” he underscores. 

Wilder further emphasizes the value of interoperability, especially amid the ascent of the cloud service provider model. “I think there’s an opportunity for companies like HP that sit at the edge to be able to bring a more seamless experience,” he says. In fact, if you ask Wilder, interoperability isn’t so much a technology problem anymore; it’s more a matter of business and politics. It’s incumbent on integrators, then, to recenter conference-room design on customer needs and wants, bringing gear into the room that will streamline the front-end experience for users. 

After all, employees have gotten used to entering and exiting multiple applications with the click of a button. If we can do that in our personal environment, why not in an office environment? And yet, as return-to-office efforts continue, many of us are still finding dedicated rooms optimized for specific types of meetings. “There’s a whole bunch of opportunities there to remove all that friction…take away all those pain points,” Wilder says. Now might be the ideal time to upgrade those pandemic-built spaces for a more worker-friendly future. 

Evolution of Meeting-Space Design 

Are the days of dedicated offices and desks nearly over? According to Wilder, today’s offices seem to be much more about hot-desking than about dedicated personal space. Bethke agrees that today’s workers are constantly on the move, and that fact manifests itself in conferencing and collaboration settings. He’s seeing more desire for video-first focused rooms and less desire for long rectangular tables. According to Wilder, “People are probably going into more antiquated conference rooms than they want to be.” 

There’s good reason to believe that future meeting environments will be very fluid. “Most companies are asking for help right now on what the future of meeting spaces can and should be,” Wilder notes. “I think where we’ll ultimately wind up is the spaces will become intelligent enough to adapt to the people in [them] versus forcing the people to learn the spaces that they walk into.” Already, spaces are starting to bend to the individuals who occupy them, rather than requiring team members to learn a new room every time they encounter one. “If one room has different gear, one room is set up for a Microsoft Teams call and another is set up for a Zoom call, we have to remove all that friction,” he declares. “We have the capability now with the technology in our hands to do that.” 

AI Investments 

Another element of futureproofing to bear in mind is AI, which most everyone expects to be a long-term disruptive force and whose evolution is moving incredibly fast. “The horse has already left the barn,” Wilder says. That being said, although AI is the shiny object capturing everyone’s attention, it’s still just another tool in the toolbox, enabling us to deliver better experiences. To that point, it’s incumbent on integrators to leverage AI so that companies can better understand how their workforce is working. For too long, stakeholders have had to guess when people were coming in, how they were using collaboration spaces, which spaces were successful, who was actually working in those spaces (and with whom), etc. 

“I think, with AI and the pace that it’s moving, we’re going to have just a whole other set of insights that, frankly, we can’t really anticipate just yet,” Wilder says. “It’s moving that fast. I think it’ll be everywhere.” 

Bethke agrees, adding that AI and automation will have an impact by moving beyond simply monitoring systems and toward creating micro-services and edge applications to gather data to drive reporting on whatever KPIs the organization values. “This type of thinking and architecture allows for any problem statement to be processed into a set of data to be gathered and processed to ultimately bring more value from our services to our customers,” he states. 

A Brighter, More Connected Future 

As AI continues to advance, today’s conferencing technology can identify where people are situated in a room, thus helping to deliver very human experiences. Remote employees can have an equal experience, bringing about the best of meeting equity. “We can now do that in a mixed environment, as well,” Wilder says. “I think that’s just the tip of the iceberg.” 

“Everyone has been forced to innovate and reimagine what could be and how people interact within these collaborative spaces,” Carroll remarks. “The industry has already laid the groundwork for what’s to come. We see a technology hybrid model that combines hardware and software continue to be the standard in education and corporate environments. Now, it’s about hardware and software working to create an experience out of a solution. We’re catapulting forward into a future that’s brighter and more connected.” 

Another version of this article originally appeared on our sister-site Commercial Integrator on July 26, 2023. It has since been updated for My TechDecisions’ audience.

The post Maximizing Technology Investments Post-Pandemic appeared first on My TechDecisions.

Authorized Crestron technology providers installing the DM NAX streaming audio system will also qualify for recurring monthly revenue options by joining the SoundMachine Partner Program. The integration with the Crestron DM NAX audio system brings a suite of unique features that improve the streaming experience throughout a commercial location.

Business owners can access SoundMachine playback controls directly from the Crestron app on Crestron devices, mobile, or tablets, or add a new zone to their listening stream for seamless transitions from one area to another. Users can also play multiple streaming sessions throughout the business of the same SoundMachine subscription. For example, a hotel can play soft music in the hall while more upbeat music is streaming in the gym, while paying only for one SoundMachine license.

Users can mark favorite stations from their Crestron interface to have them added as a preset for certain zones of their establishment so that music content is readily available. Schedules can also be created using Crestron enabling program-specific content to play at set times with no manual intervention.

“We are really excited to add SoundMachine support to the DM NAX platform. With the combination of Crestron’s DM NAX hardware portfolio and SoundMachine’s music service, our customers will now have a truly professional solution for fully licensed music playback across a variety of commercial spaces such as retail stores, restaurants, hotels, corporate offices, and beyond,” says Ekin Binal, director, product management AV Solutions at Crestron.

SoundMachine offers over 500 curated stations and the option to import playlists from consumer services such as Spotify digital music service, Amazon Music, and more, providing the ability for businesses to customize their audio to match their brand and customer preferences. SoundMachine’s music content and features are now combined with the Crestron DM NAX system, allowing businesses to easily manage all aspects of their audio experience through a single interface.

“We’re thrilled to be integrating with Crestron DM NAX to offer an unparalleled audio solution for businesses of all sizes. Our collaboration with Crestron will enable us to bring high-quality audio experiences to more businesses and provide them with a reliable and convenient way to manage their audio and music settings alongside other room automation systems,” says Matteo Luppi, CEO of SoundMachine.

Another version of this article originally appeared on our sister-site Commercial Integrator on June 6, 2023. It has since been updated for My TechDecisions’ audience.

The post SoundMachine Now Integrates with Crestron DM NAX Audio-over-IP Platform appeared first on My TechDecisions.

AVI-SPL, a Microsoft Managed Partner, developed the bundle in partnership with Crestron, Jupiter and Salamander Designs. The outcome, the company says, is an elegant solution that seamlessly transforms the popular Microsoft Teams Front Row setup into a personalized experience for each attendee, in-person and remote. In response to customer requests across the globe, the bundle also responds to increasing mandates for accessible, sustainable solutions, says the company. As a complete solution, it also satisfies market demand for simple, quick, and scalable deployment.

AVI-SPL’s Accessible, Sustainable Microsoft Teams Meeting Room Bundles

The new ADA-compliant and ENERGY STAR-certified bundle for Signature Microsoft Teams Rooms includes the Crestron Flex Conference System with Jabra PanaCast 50 video bar certified for native Microsoft Teams Rooms integrations, Jupiter 21:9 format 5K LCD display, and Salamander Designs credenza and Arc Table. AVI-SPL provides all design renderings, installation, and system integration. The bundle is globally available and able to be easily procured as a single unit.

“Today’s companies are focused on sustainable business practices that create long-term benefits,” says Dale Bottcher, AVI-SPL executive vice president of global sales and marketing. “From elevating employee experience, to honoring inclusivity with accessible and equitable designs, to caring for our planet with products that reduce carbon footprint, we think this Signature Microsoft Teams Rooms bundle sets a new bar for purpose-driven innovation.”

As hybrid work takes hold worldwide, companies are rapidly reconfiguring offices with more video-enabled meeting and gathering spaces. To reenergize these modern workplaces, forward-thinking organizations have renewed their focus on employee experience, meeting equity, and environmental sustainability. Signature Microsoft Teams Rooms are purposefully designed to optimize meeting equity.

In addition, Salamander furniture is built for accessibility. Their facilities are 100% solar-powered and their processes are RoHS and CARB compliant. Jupiter Pana LCD displays are ENERGY STAR certified, reducing energy consumption over comparable large format displays.

As a Microsoft Modern Work Partner with the Advanced Specialization for Microsoft Teams Meetings and Meeting Rooms, part of AVI-SPL’s mission is to design and deploy room designs that enhance human connections in hybrid workspaces on a global scale. AVI-SPL’s collaboration with Crestron, Jupiter, and Salamander Designs helps the company do that, says Bottcher.

“This partnership between Crestron, AVI-SPL, Jupiter Systems, and Salamander Designs provides our mutual end-user clients with a complete Microsoft Teams Room bundle and an exceptional meeting environment. The simplified buying process makes this solution especially easy to procure, enable, and scale,” adds Bob Bavolacco, director of technology partnerships at Crestron.

AVI-SPL at InfoComm 2023

The new AVI-SPL bundle for Signature Microsoft Teams Rooms, designed for quick delivery and installation, is available now. Interested parties can see the new solution at InfoComm 2023 June 14-16 in Orlando, Fla. AVI-SPL (booth #2561) will feature a virtual reality experience of the configured room. Additionally, Crestron (booth #2501), Jupiter Systems (booth # 2231), and Salamander Designs (booth #3613) will each have the complete bundle installed in their booths.

Another version of this article originally appeared on our sister-site Commercial Integrator on June 6, 2023. It has since been updated for My TechDecisions’ audience.

The post AVI-SPL Releases Signature Microsoft Teams Room Bundle appeared first on My TechDecisions.

After integrating automation and cloud computing into its platform, the Union City, Calif.-based company is now introducing VR into design and sales processes to create a new benchmark for the AV industry. X-VRSE lets users enter into and explore their spaces using an interactive VR platform.

The technology of X-VRSE allows users to add, alter and customize the products and aesthetics of the room while witnessing all of it, in front of them, in the X-VRSE environment. With a range of room options, users can simulate meeting rooms, classrooms, immersive rooms, etc., using X-VRSE. Device coverages, sitelines, sound pressure levels can be visualized, enabling users to change or reposition their devices, choosing the right product for the right environment.

Additionally, X-VRSE lets users “Bring their own Rooms,” 3D renders made in tools like Revit and Google sketchup and visualize them in X-VRSE VR environment. X-VRSE automatically creates multiple drawings in 2D such as Line Schematics, Signal Flow Diagrams, etc.

“We are excited to launch X-VRSE, a VR solution that is going to transform design and sales processes in the AV industry. After streamlining the platform with technologies like automation and cloud computing, and winning awards and even a patent for these, VR was the next big thing that XTEN-AV had its eye on!,” says Vibhav Singh and Sahil Dhingra, co-founders, XTEN-AV.

They continue, “Our aim is to give our users a world-class VR experience and equip them with the latest technology to create even more comprehensive designs & spaces. X-VRSE offers multiple ways to utilize the platform by either using a VR headset or by using a standalone version on any laptop or desktop, essentially working as a game on your computer.”

Incorporation of virtual reality with AV design and sales offers the ease of visualizing 2D designs, as an immersive experience, even at the conceptualization/design stage of a project, says XTEN-AV.

The X-VRSE technology not just makes it easier for the AV designers and integrators to create comprehensive, stimulating AV designs but also for sales to convince decision-makers and clients to select appropriate products right from the start, sys the company.

XTEN-AV will be showcasing X-VRSE LIVE at booth #4260 at InfoComm 2023. Visitors can experience the VR solution and its immersive environment, interact with the founding team, and avail exciting offers and discounts.

Another version of this article originally appeared on our sister-site Commercial Integrator on June 6, 2023. It has since been updated for My TechDecisions’ audience.

The post XTEN-AV Unveils X-VRSE VR Solution appeared first on My TechDecisions.

Virtual Production in Action

Per a statement, InfoComm attendees will get a first-hand look at how virtual production works at The Unreal Ride, a virtual production experience presented by Vū, Unilumin, and MRMC (booth 6081). The teams have collaborated to debut an entirely new Unreal Ride. The experience features a Jeep where two participants can ride through newly created virtual worlds specifically designed for InfoComm 2023. Attendees will also experience a blend of the physical and virtual worlds through a combination of the latest innovations in virtual production technology. These include advanced LED panels, a motion-controlled camera, camera tracking and virtual environments created with Unreal Engine and lighting optimized for virtual production.

“We’re really looking forward to this virtual production experience Vū, Unilumin and MRMC are bringing to InfoComm 2023,” says Rochelle Richardson, CEM, senior vice president of expositions and events, AVIXA, producer of InfoComm. “The InfoComm audience is not only going to see the magic of virtual production — they’re also going to get to participate!”

Deep Dive into Emerging Trends

On Tuesday, June 13, InfoComm will present “Emerging Trends,” an annual review of the industry’s latest technology advancements. The half-day program, led by Pete Coman of PTS Consulting, will allow attendees to discover how technologies such as AR, VR, NDI, Dante AV, wireless collaboration solutions and other emerging tech will revolutionize the way we connect and collaborate.

The day begins with the session “Beyond Reality: Exploring the Future of Work with Virtual and Augmented Reality” led by Linda Gedemer of AlphaTech. Next, Oliver Van Camp from Barco and Christopher Jaynes of Q-SYS will present “Unleashing the Power of Connectivity and Collaboration: A Glimpse into the Future.”

Paul Harris from Aurora Multimedia will also discuss “Revolutionizing the Workplace: The Future of Audio Visual & Control Technology.” The program concludes with the session “NDI and Dante AV: Which one is the real AV superhero?” with Paul Richards of PTZ Optics and Will Waters from Audinate.

“The education program at InfoComm 2023 will show you the endless possibilities of pro AV technology,” adds Annette Sandler, director, live content, U.S./Canada, AVIXA. “Attendees can take classes on specific technologies they need to learn more about and different applications and case studies for projects that they’re working on. Our Emerging Trends program is a must-attend for anyone wanting to know “what’s next” in the ever-evolving world of pro AV.”

All About AI

InfoComm 2023 will also host more than 100 hours of education on critical pro AV topics, including emerging technologies like AI.

On Wednesday, June 14, Diversified’s Stephen Jenkins and Blaine Brown will present the session “The Impact of AI: How AI Will Enhance and Transform the Industry” at the Technology Innovation Stage (booth 2260). They’ll explore AI-powered collaboration solutions and revolutionary cloud services. These include OpenAI and Microsoft Copilot. They’ll also discuss the imminent shift from “preventative” to “predictive” maintenance through AI-enabled analytics, leading to self-healing capabilities.

Brad Sousa of AVI Systems will also present “Integrating Tools to Make the Workplace More Useful: AI and Smart Technologies” on Thursday, June 15. In this session, Sousa will discuss how AI and smart technologies can enhance meeting workspaces and concierge services for individual employees as well as security tools — all using sensors, IoT, occupancy and access control to correlate data.

Another version of this article originally appeared on our sister-site Commercial Integrator on June 2, 2023. It has since been updated for My TechDecisions’ audience.

The post InfoComm 2023 Show to Spotlight Emerging Technologies appeared first on My TechDecisions.

While spear-phishing attacks are low-volume, they are widespread and highly successful compared to other types of email attacks.

Related: Barracuda Launches New SASE Platform for Businesses, MSPs

Research from Barracuda’s 2023 spear-phishing trends report reveals the following:

• Spear phishing is widespread: 50% of organizations analyzed were victims of spear phishing in 2022, and a typical organizations received five highly personalized spear-phishing emails per day.
• These attacks are highly successful: Spear-phishing attacks make up only 0.1% of all e-mail based attacks, according to Barracuda data, but they are responsible for 66% of all breaches.
• Organizations are feeling the impact: 55% of respondents that experienced a spear-phishing attack reported machines infected with malware or viruses; 49% reported having sensitive data stolen; 48% reported having stolen login credentials; and 39% reported direct monetary loss.
• Threat detection and response remains a challenge: On average, organizations take nearly 100 hours to identify, respond to and remediate a post-deliver email threat — 43 hours to detect the attack and 56 hours to respond and remediate after the attack is detected.
• Remote work is increasing risks: Users at companies with more than a 50% remote workforce report higher levels of suspicious emails — 12 per day on average, compared to 9 per day for those with less than a 50% remote workforce.
• Having more remote workers slows detection and response: Companies with more than a 50% remote workforce also reported that it takes longer to both detect and response to email security incidents — 55 hours to detect and 63 hours to response and mitigate, compared to an average of 36 hours and 51 hours respectively for organizations with fewer remote workers.

“Even though spear phishing is low volume, with its targeted and social engineering tactics, the technique leads to a disproportionate number of successful breaches, and the impact of just one successful attack can be devastating,” said Barracuda’s technology chief Fleming Shi, in a statement. “To help stay ahead of these highly effective attacks, businesses must invest in account takeover protection solutions with artificial intelligence capabilities. Such tools will have far greater efficacy than rule-based detection mechanisms. Improved efficacy in detection will help stop spear-phishing with reduced response needed during an attack.”

The post Barracuda: Half of Organizations Fell Victim to Spear Phishing in 2022 appeared first on My TechDecisions.