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WeWork is introducing new technology to its network of locations to split the difference between business travel and videoconferencing.
The international coworking operator announced Tuesday that it will introduce holographic technology at 16 locations by the end of the third quarter for meetings, panel discussions and other events, Fast Company reports. The tech will be provided through a partnership with Canadian company ARHT Media and could eventually be introduced at up to 100 locations.
On one end of a holographic interaction will be speakers set up in front of a green screen, looking into a device that both records them and shows them the audience in another location so they can approximate eye contact. The "capture studios" for speakers will be in WeWork locations, just as the projectors — called HoloPods — will be set up in WeWork event and common spaces.
The terms of WeWork's deal with ARHT were not disclosed, but a direct purchase of a HoloPod from ARHT costs into the six figures, and a one-time rental can cost thousands of dollars, Fast Company reports.
"As the world increasingly craves the energy and productivity that in-person interactions deliver, we believe this technology will play a critical role," WeWork Chief Product and Experience Officer Hamid Hashemi said in a statement released as part of the announcement.
Coworking sits at a crucial intersection between traditional office work and remote working from home or at coffee shops, and its involvement in the business world's adaptation to hybrid work structures has the chance to be significant.
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