Blur or replace video conferencing background in real time

• 21 Jan, 2020
• by Valentina Zezelj

With a growing number of people working remotely, video conferencing is becoming an integral part of work. Having control of your background helps make video calls professional, private, and even entertaining. But, to get there, you need a reliable background segmentation software.

How does background removal work?

Before we can manipulate the background, we need to distinguish between the person using the webcam and their background.

This is done using a neural network that processes the image input and returns a binary output. The result – a binary mask – classifies the image parts into the foreground (representing a person) and background (representing everything else). Having that information allows us to further process the image. For example, we can then remove the background, blur it or replace it with an image or a video.

Our background segmentation tool can be easily integrated with video conferencing and streaming tools and services. However, amazing virtual backgrounds are not reserved for desktop devices only. Deutsche Telekom Message+ app used various animated virtual backgrounds to make video calls engaging for their Android and iOS customers, and we were proud to provide the technology.

Pros of custom video conferencing backgrounds

Video conferencing brings us as close as it gets to face-to-face communication while working remotely. It provides the visual element that is extremely valuable for effective business communication.

However, we want to keep the focus on the visual stimuli that is vital for the meeting. Being able to manipulate the background helps us improve the camera experience by removing visual noise or simply adding an element of entertainment to the video conference.

Everyone who’s been to a conference room knows that it’s all about simplicity – there’s usually a table and a set of chairs only. This simple setup helps keep the participants focused on what really matters – the meeting itself. Removing the background during a conference call has a similar effect – it eliminates visual noise and distractions. No matter where you may be working from – be it an open space office, your living room or a busy cafe – you can present yourself in a professional setting simply by adjusting your background.

Besides getting rid of distractions, removing the background helps maintain your privacy, too. You can enjoy comfortable and private video calls without revealing your current surroundings to every participant.

Moreover, you can change the background to match your personality, brand, meeting agenda, and more. At one moment you can be on your favorite beach, the next moment relaxing in a skyscraper office with a great view, and so on. Virtual backgrounds encourage creativity, keeping the video conferences fun and engaging. Zoom’s virtual backgrounds are the best proof of how a simple background change can improve the entire user experience.

Virtual backgrounds can be successfully used for marketing as well. For example, you can place your company’s logo in the background or give all participants a look into your store by using its 2D or 3D photo.

Overall, adjusting your background is a quick and easy way to create the high-quality and distraction-free video meeting experience, no matter where you may be working from.

Implement virtual backgrounds into your solution

Background remover gives users complete control of their background, helping them create professional and high-quality live videos. This is especially useful for business meetings, remote interviews and live video streaming. Besides using various virtual backgrounds, there are other AR opportunities when it comes to video conferencing; you can use face beautification elements, AR face filters, skin smoothing… or even combine functionalities such as emotion recognition and gaze tracking to create amazing custom features.

If you’d like to try out our background remover tool or discuss a custom solution, get in touch.