# AR Video Calls Microsoft's 'Room2room' Blends Augmented Reality and Video Calling By Laura McQuarrie | Published 2016-01-22 | Tech Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/room2room References: [3ders.org](http://www.3ders.org/articles/20160122-room2room-from-microsoft-uses-augmented-reality-for-a-video-call.html) 'Room2Room' is a new technology from [Microsoft](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/snapchat-ar-lens-1) that aims to make video conferencing feel more natural with the aid of [augmented reality technology](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/android-xr). In order to take conversations beyond the confines of smartphones and computers, Microsoft is now making it possible for people to [beam holograms to one another](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/project-ava-1), creating a more realistic way to facilitate remote "face-to-face" communication. Previously, the teams of Microsoft Research were working on a platform called RoomAlive, which made use of Kinect technology to sense depth in order to make accurate digital projections in a space. Pushing this concept further, Room2Room makes it possible to capture the likeness of a friend as they are sitting down and chatting with you, and vice versa. The inventive Microsoft technology is set to be introduced at this year's Computer-Supported Cooperative Work and Social Computing conference in San Francisco. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 1.8/10 - Popularity: 25% | Activity: 21% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 70% men, 30% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Tech](https://www.trendhunter.com/tech) > [Multimedia](https://www.trendhunter.com/multimedia) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Augmented Reality Conferencing:** Using AR technology to make video conferencing feel more natural and realistic, providing an opportunity for innovation in the field of remote communication. - **Hologram Communication:** Beaming holograms to create a more realistic way to facilitate remote "face-to-face" communication, allowing for potential disruptive innovation in video calling technology. - **Depth-sensing Projections:** Utilizing Kinect technology to sense depth in order to make accurate digital projections in a space, paving the way for new innovations in digital projection and virtual communication. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Video Conferencing:** The AR and hologram technology can revolutionize video conferencing, providing a more lifelike experience that can make remote working more enjoyable and productive. - **Digital Projection:** The depth-sensing projection concept can create new opportunities for digital projection in various settings, such as entertainment, advertising, and education. - **Remote Communication:** AR and hologram technology have the potential to disrupt the way people communicate remotely, creating more realistic and seamless connections between people in different locations. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Conference Call AR Lenses](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/snapchat-ar-lens-1.md) - [Metaverse-Enabled Video Chat Applications](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mesh-for-teams.md) - [Interactive Virtual Meeting Platforms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/microsoft-mesh.md) - [Holographic Hybrid Meeting Solutions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/webex-hologram.md) - [3D Video Call Avatars](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/avatars-for-microsoft-teams.md) - [Immersive Video Communication](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tonari-portals.md) - [Real-Time Hologram Applications](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/holoport.md) - [Futuristic Video Conferencing Technology](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/project-starline-1.md) - [Full-Body Hologram Displays](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/portl-epic.md)