[Beijing, China, May 27, 2021] At CCBN2021, Qu Yaxin, Vice President of HiSilicon (Shanghai), laid out a new paradigm for 8K and AI.

In a keynote speech entitled "8K+AI, Omnimedia∙New Device," Qu noted, "The TV realm is far from the only field that will benefit from 8K." The omnimedia era is just around the corner, and consumers' expectations for smart devices have soared. As a cornerstone omnimedia technology, 8K has not been merely confined to the entertainment space. Instead, it has been coupled with AI, and helped blaze a trail in the smart convergent device landscape.

8K+AI as a Catalyst of Smart Home Software & Hardware Innovation

Compared with traditional STBs, which are mere basic expression-type devices in homes, AI-capable smart STBs are remarkably versatile: Consumers can use them to watch TV, immerse themselves in VR games (by connecting the device to VR glasses via an HDMI cable), and enjoy the wide-ranging benefits of a smart home edge computing center.

The smart TV marries 8K and AI. From TV shows, somatosensory gaming, online fitness, facial recognition, and gesture recognition, to detecting posture mistakes during exercise, it redefines how users interact with smart TVs.

The unique combination of 8K and AI promises to attract substantial investment from across the value chain, and will soon be seen in a growing number of smart home applications. Notably, smart home devices are a main strategic focus for the HarmonyOS ecosystem in 2021. HiSilicon will continue to invest in the HarmonyOS ecosystem, and play a leading role in supporting STB, mini-LED display, and other product forms. For example, the HiSilicon and HarmonyOS teams have committed to equipping STBs with basic HarmonyOS capabilities, such as fast networking and fast device discovery, and partnering with app developers to roll out home-dedicated apps, such as calling, learning, and shopping apps.

HiSilicon will also team up with industry partners to explore new product forms, such as mini-LED displays and all-in-one smart home hosts.

8K+AI Office Capabilities

8K can interact with AI to improve the productivity of work, transcending distance and language barriers. HiSilicon and partners have built numerous common application scenarios where 8K and AI can be combined to reinforce office devices in a globalized setting, such as multi-party conferencing, screen projection, low-latency writing on interactive whiteboards, remote presentations, and remote collaboration. For example, in a conference where the attendees speak different languages, AI can ensure that communications remain seamless, enabling the camera to track the speaker, auto-translate the speaker's words, and provides real-time subtitles.

8K+AI in the XR World

As a next-generation mobile computing platform, XR bridges the physical and digital worlds, and is set to serve as a next-generation immersive entertainment, gaming, and social platform. It will continue to be used in a wider range of industries, in addition to manufacturing and education, providing a new and exciting way to boost productivity. XR wearable devices incorporate perceptive, connected, computing, and expressive capabilities. They are getting better and better at perceiving their environments and identifying human needs, making interaction with the physical and digital worlds more convenient and natural than ever before.

To create an optimally immersive experience, a VR device must be able to support low-latency decoding of videos in 8K or an even higher resolution. A VR 360-degree video is produced by stitching images captured from multiple angles and channels. Some of the images are decoded and presented on the device. The more pixels decoded within the field of view (FOV), the better the immersive experience restored on the device. The on-device 8Kp120 decoding capability allows for a 3D video experience in 2K or higher, which is an important step towards a retina-resolution experience.

AI-based human and object recognition further unleashes the power of AR and VR for industry applications. For example, in the security field, AR glasses that can recognize people and compare them with preset targets in the system, allow for security officers on patrol to quickly detect targets.

We have an almost insatiable appetite for video, since we get most of information from what we see in the physical world, and receive response from the digital world mainly through visual input. And when coupled with AI, video can play an even greater role in our lives. As opposed to HD, 8K is able to capture moments at the millisecond level, and provide a greater level of detail with more vibrant colors, for lifelike viewing. To accommodate the growing demand for enhanced human-computer interactions and cutting-edge experiences, 8K and AI will continue to play a prominent role in industry digitalization, particularly in fields like manufacturing, education, energy, and security.