We’re two months into the year…so is it too early to start talking about what’s next in AV, right? We don’t think so.

That’s why we were excited to see all the innovations coming out of this year’s Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) conference earlier in February. From new monitors to speakers, projectors to lighting, you can always count on AV manufacturers to bring their best and brightest new offerings to the show.

Of course, at RoomReady, we’re just as interested in what these innovations say about trends in the AV integration field. When manufacturers roll out smarter, more intuitive technology, we get to work finding new ways to implement it for a more frictionless meeting experience.

Here are three trends that caught our eye:

All-you-can-meet

Early in the pandemic, businesses took a “just get it done” approach to AV and collaboration technology. Employees made Zoom, Webex or Teams work on their home office setups because they had no choice. But now that businesses are moving back to the office, or shifting to a hybrid approach, many have found their existing collaboration tools aren’t the best fit for their post-pandemic AV solutions.

At ISE 2023, manufacturers made it clear that being stuck in an ill-fitting solution is no longer a concern. Essentially, meeting room designers now have access to an AV buffet. Poly introduced a complete room solution for Microsoft Teams, while also rolling out new video bars for Google Meet. Floor displays include numerous carts, cameras and soundbars. In the coming months and years, customization will be the name of the game, with facilities managers refusing to settle for “good enough” and exploring a diverse range of options before investing in upgrades.

For businesses looking to customize their meeting spaces while ensuring all technology is proven to work in harmony, RoomReady offers room menus – and we’ll continue to expand our offerings with the new tech unveiled at ISE 2023.

Let’s talk about equity

The return-to-office has also spurred conversations about meeting equity – how do businesses ensure the meeting experience is the same for those attending in-room and those attending remotely? At a high level, that might mean improving microphones and adding video tracking technology within the room to ensure virtual attendees can both see and hear an in-room attendee when they speak.

But ISE featured some innovative technology that takes meeting equity a step further. This year’s event was the first to feature AI-powered translations for its keynote speakers, allowing French, Spanish, German and Portuguese-speaking attendees to hear the presentations in their own language – in real-time. As this technology expands further, it will change the way businesses communicate with customers and other offices around the globe. The possibilities for more accessible – and therefore more equitable – meeting rooms through AI are endless.

RoomReady is no stranger to meeting equity projects. In fact, we helped one of the world’s leading athletic lifestyle brands achieve equity across its North American campuses, and we’re already exploring ways to integrate AI into our offerings.

School’s in session…no matter where you are

Although much of the discussion around meeting equity has focused on the boardroom, there are just as many exciting opportunities in the classroom as well.

ISE 2023 featured an entire summit dedicated to the impact of technology on education, with a range of discussions from leveraging the multiverse to improving sustainability in the classroom. We were particularly interested in a panel with representatives from Greece’s largest university, who spoke about their success live streaming large-scale classes to hybrid students.

One of AV’s most important tasks is to continue breaking down barriers to education – allowing students on opposite sides of the U.S., or even around the world, to take classes from schools and professors highly regarded in the student’s field of study, without some of the expenses of a traditional university experience. Higher-quality cameras, microphones and AI technology will allow these students to feel as if they’re right in the room with their peers.

RoomReady has already engineered AV solutions for elementary, high school and college students – through our work with the United Nations International School and DeVry University – and we’re excited about the future of AV in the classroom.

The future is well-lit

These trends only scratch the surface of what was on display at ISE 2023 – with all kinds of new options for every aspect of AV, from the lighting to the picture, sound to the wire storage, there’s plenty more to explore. You can check out ISE’s website to read all the news out of this year’s event, and if you’re interested in discussing how these trends impact your meeting spaces, give us a ring!