To bring people closer together for the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, despite the health restrictions and geographical distances, Alibaba has launched cloud-based technology “Cloud ME” powered by its real-time communication (RTC) solution.

“Cloud ME” facilitates social interactions for people who are keen to explore bona fide meeting experiences during the Olympic Winter Games, enabling them to meet, and enjoy real-time conversations with each other via life-sized, true-to-life projection.

“The real-time communication solution powered by cloud technology plays a critical role in helping the world to connect effectively,” said Lijuan Chen, GM of Product and Solution, Alibaba Cloud Intelligence. “Leveraging our global cloud network and self proprietary algorithms, we aim to bring the benefits of real-time communication to various day-to-day scenarios including online education, interactive entertainment, video conferencing and other enterprise services.”

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By stepping into a pop-up studio in the Cloud ME booth, participants will have their full body image projected realistically into a remote booth, in which their projected personas will be displayed to meet and greet with their counterparts. The true-to-life meetings can also be opened up to a wider audience across unlimited locations, thanks to easily-installed remote projection functionality.

The Cloud ME booth is simple to set up. Beyond typical studio equipment — such as a video camera and a computer to capture the footage, it does not require any additional onsite IT infrastructure, or optimized internet bandwidth, to execute recording and transmission — thanks to the power of cloud computing.

Low latency

Videos and audios produced in the Cloud ME booth will be transmitted on Alibaba Cloud, the digital technology and intelligence backbone of Alibaba Group. The proven RTC solution is powered by Alibaba’s advanced cloud computing capabilities and extensive global network coverage.

Backed by the low latency, high availability, and high concurrency features of Alibaba Cloud, the process can be completed within 200 milliseconds. The live recording can then be projected onto a remote 4K high-definition screen, generating a true-to-life hologram effect, reconstructing all details in high definition — including micro facial expressions and clothing texture, which are essential to in-person interaction.

Alibaba’s Cloud ME booths are available both within the closed-loop management system at Beijing 2022, as well as outside for participants of the Olympic Winter Games so that they can experience interesting social interactions in mixed reality. The first Cloud ME event for Beijing 2022 took place to facilitate a remote meeting between Zhang and Bach on February 6, who were unable to meet physically due to COVID-19 restrictions in China.