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ITOKI CORPORATION (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President: Koji Minato) will release the conference table "Panora" on Tuesday, August 1, 2023, which enables all participants in hybrid meetings to make eye contact and communicate more naturally as if they were face-to-face.

Now that hybrid work styles have become mainstream, conference rooms are changing from traditional face-to-face meetings to web conferences, creating a need for space functions that enable new forms of communication.
As a result of Itoki's survey of the web conferencing situation of hybrid workers in the Tokyo metropolitan area, the second most inconvenient and dissatisfied point was ``not being able to understand the other party's reactions and expressions'' after ``communication quality'', and it was found that ``not being able to understand the other party's reactions and expressions'' It became clear that there was a need for a web conferencing environment where people could talk.
Conventional conference rooms often have a ``vertical'' layout, with people seated facing each other along the length, and displays and cameras placed on the short sides. However, this has resulted in the problem that depending on where you are seated in the conference room during a web conference, you may be far away from the camera and microphone, making it difficult to see what is going on in the conference room from the remote side, making it difficult to hear voices, and making it difficult to communicate naturally. there was.
In response to these changes in the workplace environment, ITOKI has developed Panora, a table that creates a new, more comfortable and creative meeting room space where everyone is equal.

This is a conference table that creates a space suitable for hybrid meetings. By combining it with conference room cameras, speakers, and a web conferencing system, you can quickly and easily start a meeting with a high sense of unity. Furthermore, even in offline, real-time meetings, the display is easy to see, making it easier for participants to maintain eye contact with each other.

The shape of the table is designed so that no matter where you sit, your eyes will naturally be drawn to the wall displays and camera bar. In the conference room, you are always facing the remote participants, allowing you to see them and have natural conversations as if you were face-to-face. From the remote side, the image appears as if all the members in the conference room are sitting side by side facing you, making it easier to see what everyone in the conference room is doing and feel a sense of unity.

In addition, not only in web conferences but also in real-time offline meetings, it is common to use a display to explain materials. There is a problem that people who are far away from the venue have difficulty viewing the materials, so by creating a "horizontal" layout, it is easy to see the materials on the display from any seat, and it is easier to exchange glances with all participants, allowing for smooth communication.

The size was set so that everyone could fit within the camera's field of view, the display was easy to see, and there was an appropriate distance between the seats and the seats next to them. We have rooms for 6 and 4 people. In addition to the traditional seated table height, we also offer a standing table, which is said to stimulate brain function and facilitate creative and efficient meetings. Also suitable for active meetings where whiteboards are often used.

Survey results source:
Posture x Conversation Atmosphere: Itoki's original research results TOIRO in-house verification experiment (2016)
Posture x alertness: Effects of adjustable sit-stand VDT workstations on workers' musculoskeletal discomfort, alertness and performance. Ind Health. 2008 Oct;46(5):497-505.

We can also recommend web conferencing systems based on the number of people and provide appropriate layout plans, allowing us to provide an optimal hybrid space with a total package of furniture, systems, and layout.

It stores system equipment, user operation terminals, and connection terminals, allowing you to have only what you need at hand. You can keep a space that tends to be cluttered with wiring and equipment smart, and start meetings smoothly.

We conducted a survey to see how much satisfaction levels had changed for Panora, which was installed and used in-house as a demonstration experiment, compared to traditional vertical conference rooms. Many respondents said that because it became easier for both the conference room side and the web participants to understand each other's situation, their satisfaction with the meeting and sense of unity increased. In addition, even in real-only meetings, satisfaction increased when the display was easy to see and it was easy to maintain eye contact with participants.

You can experience Panora conference rooms at the following locations.

We plan to install it in showrooms, office plazas, etc. across the country this fall.

In addition, as web conferencing has become widespread, Shinagawa has partnered with Microsoft Japan, which provides Microsoft Teams Rooms, which enables meetings to be held anywhere, whether remotely or from a conference room, without leaving anyone behind. We also plan to install it in offices and hold joint webinars.

Microsoft Teams Rooms is a meeting room solution that is thoughtfully designed to deliver an inclusive meeting experience for all participants, with meetings that leave no one behind. From open spaces to small, medium, and large meeting rooms, we transform a variety of rooms into easy-to-use and inclusive meeting spaces, flexibly responding to all meeting needs. Signature Microsoft Teams Rooms is a meeting space solution designed to increase inclusivity and collaboration for all participants in hybrid meetings using Teams Rooms. Arrange equipment and furniture such as displays, cameras, audio devices, and tables to create an environment where participants in the conference room and remote participants can face each other and interact.