Optimizing teleconferencing devices with AI-based and classic microphone processing
In the fast-evolving landscape of consumer electronics, achieving superior audio quality is crucial, particularly for devices seeking official recognition from Zoom, one of the world’s leading conferencing platforms. Fraunhofer IIS, a leader in digital signal processing, and Kandao, a pioneer in immersive conferencing technology, have tackled the challenges of achieving Zoom certification for Kandao’s flagship product.
The award-winning 360 AI conference camera Kandao Meeting Ultra sports impressive specs. It delivers immersive conferencing experiences for small to medium-sized settings with up to 18 participants, while also offering scalability for even bigger rooms by combining several devices. Right from its launch in early 2024, it featured upHear Microphone Processing for an optimal audio experience.
Pushing the boundaries of technology to satisfy even the most rigorous demands
One of the standout challenges in this endeavor has been the need to deliver exceptional audio clarity with an acoustic front-end that navigates the complexities of diverse use scenarios. Simply put: the bigger the meeting, the bigger the challenge to capture pristine quality audio from every person speaking.
Both Kandao and Fraunhofer IIS have undertaken rigorous testing and refinements to comply with Zoom’s stringent audio quality requirements, which are very explicit in two crucial fields: Firstly, a low end-to-end latency must be met. Secondly, there are specific requirements for measurable sound quality. Both are needed to guarantee user satisfaction through a natural conversation flow without interruptions and distractions. By harnessing classic and AI-based speech enhancement technologies, Fraunhofer IIS experts succeeded not only in meeting the requirements but even in exceeding them, thereby enabling a future-proof product.
A tried and tested partnership
The fruitful collaboration between Kandao and Fraunhofer IIS has spanned several years and multiple device generations, culminating in a dedicated effort to enhance the audio processing capabilities of Kandao’s products with upHear Microphone Processing.
“Continually striving for audio excellence, we successfully turned challenges into opportunities together, demonstrating the quality and robustness of upHear technology for both, recent Kandao models and future devices,” says Dan Chen, CEO at Kandao.
Looking to the future, Fraunhofer IIS anticipates continued advancements in audio processing that will further improve user experience across various applications and meet current as well as future standards and certification requirements of the industry. The cooperation with Kandao exemplifies how strategic partnerships can drive technological breakthroughs, reinforcing the position of Fraunhofer IIS at the forefront of audio innovation.