Google is moving beyond flat video calls, unveiling a new 3D telepresence experiment for its Google Beam platform that projects colleagues into the room in photorealistic, life-size scale. According to Google's official blog post announcing the feature, this is an evolution of Project Starline, using multiple cameras, AI-driven modeling, and spatial audio to create a stronger sense of in-person connection for hybrid teams.
How 3D Telepresence Works
The new system for group meetings does not require glasses or headsets. Instead, it combines several technologies to create what Google describes as a "magical window" effect, where participants feel like they are sitting across the table from each other.
The system captures a person from multiple angles, generates a real-time 3D model, and projects it onto a specialized light field display, creating a sense of volume and depth that standard screens cannot replicate.
According to Google, key components include:
- AI-driven computer vision and machine learning models that process visual data in real time to build realistic 3D models.
- Multiple depth sensors — an array of cameras capturing a person's shape, texture, and movement from various angles.
- A custom light field display that projects different images to each eye, creating depth perception without headsets.
- Dynamic spatial audio engineered to sound like it originates from the person's location in the 3D space.
Bridging the Hybrid Divide
Google's stated goal is to address a common pain point of hybrid work: the disconnect between in-person and remote employees, who often feel like passive observers in traditional video calls. The company says the technology is designed to restore non-verbal cues like eye contact and gestures that support collaboration.
What's Next for Immersive Collaboration
The feature is currently in an experimental phase for Google Beam. Google says it is working to make the underlying hardware more compact and cost-effective, with a longer-term goal of moving the technology from specialized rooms into more common desktop and conference-room setups.