1 Beyond announced two new cameras to its lineup: the Hawk and the Falcon. 1 Beyond says that both cameras fill a void for small-to-medium-size classrooms and conference rooms that need a lower-cost automated camera tracking solution.

The Falcon is a presenter tracking camera that pans, tilts and zooms to follow a presenter. 1 Beyond says its form factor is well-suited for smaller rooms; it is the first ePTZ camera from 1 Beyond and uses a 4K image sensor which is cropped to HD for output. It uses facial and motion detection for tracking and is designed for rooms up to 25 feet deep.

The Hawk is a tracking camera specifically for the room participants. It combines two 12x optical zoom PTZ cameras, a wide-angle reference camera and six audio-locating microphones in a shelf-mountable solution. Built-in facial detection and voice detection software uses a new algorithm to point a camera at whoever is speaking. Switching between cameras is automatic. The wide-angle reference camera feed is also available for an establishing shot of the room. Hawk is designed for rooms up to 30 feet deep.

With hybrid work and remote classes becoming the “new normal,” more and more rooms need cameras to enable conferencing with remote participants. Camera tracking is essential to enable remote participants to be on equal footing with in-room participants. Close-ups allow remote participants to see facial expressions and feel more engaged in the class or meeting.