Microsoft is working on facial illumination technology that adapts the screen's brightness automatically during video meetings

Think about being on a video call, but the lighting in your room is not helpful. You appear like a silhouette or too bright because of excessive light. Now, think about what would have been possible if your computer had solved this situation. You would have ideal lighting regardless of any circumstances.

According to one of the latest patents, Microsoft is working on precisely that. The Redmond-based tech giant is developing technology focused on improving facial illumination based on your screen’s content, ensuring you are visually appealing when participating in video meetings.

This is how it works: Your computer collects images from your webcam and directly decides if there is insufficient light on your face by checking whether it appears too bright or too dark. Then, it recognizes what is shown on the screen and adjusts that accordingly.

The tech will also show different graphic elements, such as a ring of light that encircles the window you are currently on to illuminate your face in the video. Depending on your video meetings, these could differ in color, size, and placement.

But the system can do more. It can also shift the content on your display, like moving application windows around or changing their size, to help make your face more straightforward. If all of this is not enough, it can also alter the settings on your webcam to depict you optimally.

The tech uses a neural network (AI) model to oversee everything. It gets the images from your webcam and what’s on your screen and determines how to light up your face.

When sitting in a dim room or opposite a window with too much backlight during a video call, imagine this: your computer automatically adjusts its screen content to light you up perfectly. This could be a total game-changer.

However, with all Microsoft patents, we don’t know. The Redmond-based tech giant is patenting interesting technologies, from potential operating systems that can be controlled with the tongue to devices that allow for seamless ownership transfers. So you never know.

You can read the full paper here. What do you think about this facial illumination system?