By Richard Humphreys |
The Japanese workplace design company combines ceiling-mounted microphones and intelligent camera tracking to help remote participants engage more naturally in meetings.
ITOKI is using Shure audio technology to make hybrid meetings more engaging at its headquarters and showroom in Tokyo, Japan. By combining ceiling-mounted microphones with intelligent camera tracking, ITOKI has created meeting spaces that help remote participants hear discussions clearly, follow speakers and better understand the facial expressions and reactions of colleagues in the room.
ITOKI explores how workplace environments can improve communication, collaboration and employee engagement. Its ITOKI Design House, located in Nihonbashi, a business district of Chūō, Tokyo, serves as its headquarters, a working office and a showroom where customers can experience its workplace concepts first-hand. In 2024, the company introduced two new meeting environments, the ‘Decision Room’ and ‘The Stadium’, designed to encourage active participation from both in-room and remote attendees.
Although hybrid meetings have become commonplace, remote participants can still struggle to hear conversations clearly, identify who is speaking and interpret facial expressions and body language. These social cues help people understand the nuances of a discussion, recognise when to contribute and feel included in the conversation.
ITOKI wanted an audio solution that could capture voices clearly and consistently while providing accurate speaker-location data to support automated camera tracking. This would allow cameras to show not only who was speaking, but also their expressions and reactions.
“Voice is one of the most important ways people communicate ideas and emotions,” said Yoshisato Shiino, manager of the system design office, solution sales department at ITOKI. “Microphones and cameras must work together seamlessly so that remote participants can clearly understand not only what is being said, but also who is speaking and how they are responding.”
The company selected the Shure MXA920 Ceiling Array Microphone and IntelliMix P300 Audio Conferencing Processor to support its meeting spaces.
Mounted on the ceiling, the MXA920 allows people to move freely and speak naturally without having to position themselves around tabletop microphones.This capability was particularly important in the Decision Room, where a seating arrangement is designed to encourage discussion and collaboration. The IntelliMix P300 processes the audio to help reduce unwanted noise and echo, supporting clear speech for remote participants.
“We experienced the MXA920 and camera integration firsthand in Shure’s showroom and were amazed by the tracking accuracy,” said Shiino. “The positional data provided by the MXA920 is extremely precise and allows us to reliably track speakers. Shure’s collaboration with camera manufacturers was another important factor in our decision.”
Combining the MXA920 with the IntelliMix P300 has helped ITOKI create meeting environments in which conversations flow more naturally and participants can hear and see one another more clearly. By reducing the need for people to think about microphone placement, the system supports a more conversational atmosphere, while camera tracking helps remote attendees follow speakers and their reactions.
“Remote participants who previously found it difficult to contribute can now participate much more actively in conversations,” said Shiino. “Users frequently tell us that meetings feel natural and comfortable, creating a welcoming atmosphere for discussion.”
Delivering the project required collaboration between ITOKI and Shure Japan, which provided technical guidance and practical support during installation and system tuning.
“Shure Japan provided tremendous support throughout the project, from answering technical questions to assisting with onsite setup and system tuning,” said Shiino. “Their expertise played a major role in helping us successfully deliver these new meeting spaces.”
ITOKI’s experience highlights how audio capture and camera tracking can work together to address some of the challenges of hybrid collaboration. By helping remote participants hear conversations, identify speakers and interpret non-verbal cues, organisations can create meeting spaces that support more inclusive discussions, regardless of where attendees are located.