Google has introduced Google Beam, a three-dimensional video communication system (previously known as Project Starline). The platform creates an effect of true presence of the other person at real size and in volume, without using VR headsets or special glasses.
The technology uses a “light field” approach and many hidden cameras to form a detailed image of the person on the screen. It tracks even the smallest head movements at 60 frames per second, creating a sense that you are looking at a live person—complete with real eye contact and nonverbal gestures. The effect feels like communication through a transparent window, removing physical distance.
One of the key elements is the integration of artificial intelligence, including a real-time speech-to-translation feature that is already available in Google Meet.
After the first successful commercial project, Cisco Telepresence, which in 2006 became a genuine breakthrough, the industry has covered a lot of ground. At that time it was a large-scale system with many limitations; now, with Google Beam, people can communicate almost as if in person: without boundaries, without bulky hardware, holograms, and animation—even without knowing the other person’s language.
Source: New Atlas (May 21, 2025)
