A few months ago, we got the first look at Project Ghost, Logitech’s immersive video calling booth. In contrast to other modern efforts such as Google’s Project Starline, Logitech’s take virtual face to face interaction uses a decidedly more lo-fi approach. Utilizing a transparent pane of glass, a mirror, and some great engineering, Project Ghost takes advantage of the “Pepper’s Ghost” effect to great the illusion of a hologram. Now, after several months of waiting, reviewers are finally getting to try out the booth for themselves. Made in collaboration with SteelCase, Logitech’s effort is leaving a lasting impression on those who use it. With an estimated $15,000-$20,000 price point it most likely won’t find its way into many homes, but initial reviews see Logitech’s efforts being valuable for office managers, medical professionals, and the hospitality industry. Here’s what people are saying:
From Engadget (Cherlynn Low)
“Though Logitech executives at the demo told me the video quality was capped at 1080p and was more likely streaming at 720p or lower, I initially thought the woman I was calling was rendered in 4K. But the clarity and realism that I had assumed was a result of high resolution was more likely because I wasn’t used to talking to someone on such a large screen. Normally, I take my calls on a 13-inch laptop, and even when I’m in a meeting room with my colleagues’ faces plastered on a 40-inch TV, I didn’t get the sense that they were right in front of me.”(MORE@Engadget)
From ZDNET (June Wan)
“The illusion is not as convincing when you’re facing it at an angle, but it’s good enough to make you feel immersed when the conversation begins. Most importantly, the person on the other side is cast right in front of the Rally webcam so that as you stare at them, you’re also facing directly at the camera. With Project Ghost, business users are the number one customers. If you’re giving an all-hands meeting, wouldn’t you want to look your employees in the eye to convey the importance and value of your messages? The idea has also been pitched for medical use, simulating the coziness and intimacy of an in-person consultation.” (MORE@ZDNET)
From CNET (Scott Stein)
“..what I’d really like to see is this experience translated into smaller, more affordable tech — like, say, my home monitor or laptop. But that may not happen; according to the team that created Project Ghost, the effect works best at full scale, not shrunken down. And it’s apparently not a good fit at the moment for conference rooms, which seems like the obvious place to set up this type of tech in the future. It may sound totally impractical, or unnecessary. But all I know is I found it weirdly compelling.” (MORE@CNET)
From The Verge (Chris Welch)
“The tech backbone of Project Ghost is Logitech’s $2,000 Rally system, which has been around for about five years. (The tablet controller is another $1,000.) The microphone and speaker are purposefully obscured inside the space to be unnoticeable. But the ambience — the stylish couch, wooden slats, greenery, and sleek finish of it all — is largely the work of Steelcase. Put everything together, and the companies are giving a ballpark estimate of between $15,000 and $20,000. That could make this an impractical solution for some small businesses, but enterprise clients probably wouldn’t bat an eye. Would I prefer Ghost over the cramped privacy booths and stuffy meeting rooms at our office? Absolutely, but it’s not a cheap upgrade.” (MORE@The Verge)
Logitech says they will begin taking orders for Project Ghost booths this fall.
