Combining full-motion 360-degree capture with real-time communication, Avatour provides excellent remote collaboration platform

Sitting in a conference room and thinking about conducting a meeting amid constellations and meteors seemed to be a farfetched reality in the past, however, not anymore as virtual meetings have been the saviors of time indeed. While there are innumerable software and video conferencing tools available for usage, yet an impeccable takeaway is the option that enables one to create a virtual background, as per their own convenience, like that of a conference room, or a cafeteria. Experts in the tech space believe that the new normal would be heralding an entirely new concept of reality, obviously banking on the newest forms of technology. The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the need for remote working like never before. With the way things have unfolded, remote working is here to stay. While video conferencing is a great way to connect to your team or host meetings and seminars, it doesn’t nearly create an office-like environment. Avatour is the remote collaboration platform for site meetings.

Creating a World Beyond Distance

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of remote collaboration tools for companies worldwide. With global shutdowns, collaborating with colleagues, clients, and stakeholders became a challenge, especially regarding industries that rely on site-specific meetings, such as audits, on-site training, and facility tours or walkthroughs. Standard videoconferencing was implemented as a quick fix to conduct site visits. However, while these tools are great for in-person meetings, inherent visual and collaboration barriers make standard videoconferencing ill-suited for site-specific meetings. 360° remote collaboration is purpose-built for site inspections, tours, and training. It allows users, both authorized employees or visitors, to join the meeting from their desktops with immersive audio and video experiences that are high quality, even in low bandwidth areas. The casual nature of it makes site meetings seem like they’re happening in person, which lowers travel costs and increases productivity. One of the most significant limitations to standard videoconferencing platforms is the lack of viewer autonomy. With these platforms, remote attendees are limited to one point of view, which is the direction in which the host points the camera. If the host doesn’t show it, people don’t see it, which can impact the quality, safety, and efficiency of a remote site visit. 360° remote collaboration lets attendees turn their head in any direction, to interact with the place or on-site personnel. This autonomy greatly increases the quality of site visits on-site and allows more efficient use of time for both on-site participants and attendees. “By using what feels like in-person, remote live features, the 360° experience gives our customers that feeling like they are walking through the facility.”

Remote presence platform

360° remote collaboration is ideal for site inspections, audits, trainings, and any other process that requires face-to-place context. This technology lets people join a meeting that feels like they’re on-site without sacrificing quality. A single 360° video conference can replace the multistep process of booking flights, hotels, and rental cars. All of the travel time gets eliminated as well as other coordination challenges that typically follow once all parties are on-site. Due to its high-quality immersive audio and video, 360° collaboration allows the on-site and remote meeting participants to interact as if they were physically together. This technological advancement provides a more efficient and cost-effective way for teams to conduct site visits. Hosting remote meetings on standard conferencing platforms can be burdensome, especially with connectivity issues. Site meetings often take place in remote locations, where WiFi is not reliable throughout an entire facility. For that reason, organizations turn to 360° remote collaboration that works over either WiFi or LTE/5G networks. These connectivity capabilities help ensure a consistent, live stream of a remote location for the duration of a site visit or audit. Now more than ever, quality assurance is essential for any organization, especially those in the pharmaceutical and manufacturing space. With the right technology and resources in place, organizations will be able to optimize their enterprise QA protocol with a focus on transparency. This increases competitive advantage, minimizes safety risks, and ensures compliance. Fortunately, the pandemic spurred innovation for collaborative technologies. With so many options, it’s important to understand that not all QA platforms were created for the same purpose.

Meet the leader behind the success of Avatour

Devon Copley is the CEO & Co-Founder of Avatour. An expert on live immersive technology, Devon has more than 20 years of experience in online media and VR. Previously, he was Head of Product for the Nokia OZO VR platform, where he expanded the OZO ecosystem to include live VR broadcast, next-generation immersive delivery, and multi-platform playback. Earlier, Devon co-founded the online media consulting firm Interocity (acquired by Chyron) and was VP of Customer Success at the leading cloud video platform Kaltura. Devon studied Computer Science and Theater at Yale and was a Sloan Fellow at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

“Over the years, we’ve facilitated the development, implementation, and impact of real-time, 360° conferencing. Our journey is ever-evolving through our relentless commitment to push the boundaries and reimagine what’s possible.”