Dell's webcam concept brings real eye contact to video calls

There's no doubt that the last two years have changed the way we work. Working from home has gone from being a luxury to the norm and video conferencing is just a part of life. 

Dell hasn't let this go unnoticed and at a press event in New York last week revealed some of its concepts designed to make home and hybrid working easier. These aren't finished products, merely solutions to problems but hopefully, some of this technology will eventually make its way on to final products in the future. 

The one that really impressed me is Dell's Concept Pari. This is a web camera concept that initially sits above the monitor like a mini version of Dell's UltraSharp Webcam. The device wirelessly connects to the computer and so can be removed from the dock and placed on a stand for top-down product demonstrations or held. The really clever part though is that is can also be placed anywhere on the monitor screen to give a more natural eye line when video calling. 

Unfortunately, this requires a special monitor to allow the camera to be placed on the screen at this time but the concept is really impressive. We've all got used to the fact that you don't get proper eye contact in video calls due to people looking down at their screens rather than directly at the camera. This solves that problem and makes the call feel much more natural. 

Concept Flow is a system designed for hybrid working, allowing you to quickly connect your laptop to your static monitor, keyboard and mouse. It uses wireless charging so that when the laptop is placed on a certain point on the desk it automatically starts to charge and connects to your accessories without the need for wires. 

There's also proximity sensors that turn on and off the monitor when you arrive and when you leave the desk. It's definitely a sleeker alternative to having to connect and disconnect a load of wires each time. 

The final concept of the three is Stanza. This is a form of tablet but with a more natural notepad feel, with a natural writing experience when combined with a pen. You can also use the pen to take audio notes which are then converted to text on the screen. Content can be dragged and dropped between the Stanza tablet and a nearby PC and it can even be used as a second screen when working away from home. 

It's an interesting look at how Dell is solving problems and is certainly a hint at the direction it is taking some of its products. Dell also revealed a concept for a sustainable PC design that allowed parts to be easily replaced and broken down for better recycling. I can't wait to see what it has in store in 2022.