Cisco has launched an augmented reality (AR) platform for Webex.
The vendor unveiled Webex Hologram at its WebexOne virtual event, hailing it as an industry first that combines Webex meeting functionality with AR hardware to create immersive 3D holograms.
The solution creates real-time, photorealistic holograms of meeting participants.
Jeetu Patel, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Cisco Security and Collaboration, said: “Our mission at Cisco is to empower the 3 billion digital workers on the planet to participate equally from anywhere in the world.
“Webex Hologram represents a large step toward our mission of delivering a delivering a work experience so seamless that there is no gap between virtual and in-person collaboration”
Cisco said that Hologram will be hardware agnostic and revealed that Magic Leap and Microsoft HoloLens as compatible headsets.
The platform will allow users to share both physical and digital content, with support for a “1:many” presenter experience – meaning multiple users can join a meeting for a “multi-dimensional experience”.
Cisco said that a key use case for the platform will be when users need to see objects, rather than just other meeting participants.
In a brief briefing before WebexOne, Patel said:“A big role is in such as healthcare or in manufacturing where you need to look not just at each other in 3D, but also to manipulate an object that you need to look at from multiple dimensions. You’ll see a lot of those scenarios play out.
“This is no longer a research project; we believe that this will make its way into practical use in a faster time than you might have thought and that’s what’s super exciting about this”
Chuck Robbins, CEO at Cisco, had hinted that Webex could take steps into 3D collaboration earlier this year.
Businesses interested in becoming early adopters of Webex Hologram can register here.
Zak Brown – CEO of Webex customer McLaren Racing – said: “Webex Hologram is a powerful tool for our design engineers, drivers and crews as we continue to reimagine hybrid sports and supporting our team on tracks around the world,”
“Rather than flying a technician to the racing team or explaining procedures through flat images, with the Hologram technology we can immediately show an engine component from every angle, convey sizing, and instruct on assembly and usage as if they were in person - all while saving countless hours in travel time.”
