With the shift to remote and hybrid work accelerated during the pandemic, Canon U.S.A. Inc. sought out ways to leverage its expertise in imaging technology to help hybrid work teams stay engaged with one another and well-connected despite being in different locations. With growing demand for technologies that support hybrid environments, Canon U.S.A. is now entering the online video communications business by announcing the official availability of the AMLOS (Activate My Line of Sight) solution.

Developed by Canon U.S.A. to help support high productivity and employee engagement, the AMLOS solution is a software-and-camera product suite designed to support modern hybrid meetings. The AMLOS solution is an additional layer on top of an organization's existing, compatible conference solution. It allows both in-person and remote participants to engage in meetings, providing an intuitive experience with hand-gesture controls for in-person participants, and a user interface that can be customized by a remote participant to help promote collaboration. The AMLOS solution consists of software and a Canon CR-N300 or CR-N500 PTZ (Pan-Tilt-Zoom) camera.

"Through the launch of the AMLOS solution, Canon acknowledges hybrid working as a core component of the work environment and what it can and will look like going forward," said Keith Kmetz, program vice president of imaging, printing and document solutions, IDC. "The solution looks to improve the current collaborative experience between in-office and remote staff by leveraging its well-known camera brand equity into an opportunity to impact the hybrid work model."

Prelaunch activities have generated interest from many organizations in various industries — including those in the technology space, education sector, creative agencies and the entertainment industry. Within this year, the AMLOS solution was showcased at well-known tradeshows, including CES, NAB and InfoComm — earning both the attention of attendees and accolades from certain tradeshow organizations. Canon U.S.A. also worked with HITRECORD and actor/producer Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who used the AMLOS solution to collaborate with hundreds of in-person and remote attendees to create an animated short film at CES 2022.

"The AMLOS solution from Canon is an exciting step forward in the hybrid work experience," said Bob Serr, vice president, Microsoft's Azure Communication Services. "With enhanced visuals and seamless connectivity powered by Microsoft Azure and Microsoft Teams, remote colleagues can collaborate even more effectively, together."

The AMLOS solution is now available through Canon U.S.A. Inc.'s authorized channel partners. The software is currently available for a $150 monthly subscription fee per room (MSRP). Each customer will also need to purchase one of the following Canon PTZ cameras per room: a CR-N300 for longer zoom range or a CR-N500 for a wider angle of view and better low-light performance. Service and support and additional third-party solutions are required, for which additional fees apply.

In other news, Canon U.S.A. Inc., in collaboration with TEKLYNX International, a leader in bar-code label and RFID software, have announced the development of new TEKLYNX native printer drivers for Canon's on-demand color label printer lineup. These drivers are compatible with Canon's LX-D1300, LX-D5500 and LX-P1300 label printers. With TEKLYNX bar-code and label design software and the new drivers, these Canon label printers are designed to help produce a high volume of labels for production use, speed up the label design process and allow users to easily create unique, eye-popping and colorful labels.

"Canon's collaboration with TEKLYNX demonstrates our commitment to our customers, providing companies with the ability to print colorful and vivid labels quickly and efficiently," said Isao "Sammy" Kobayashi, senior vice president and general manager, Canon U.S.A. Inc. "Customers in a wide range of industries will be able to make good use of the TEKLYNX software with these new drivers."

TEKLYNX created these drivers for a positive user experience. TEKLYNX bar-code label design software products — LABEL MATRIX, LABELVIEW and CODESOFT — will help Canon label printer users maintain their respective brand consistency with the ability to create preformatted templates which help increase the accuracy of the prints. There is an easy-to-use label design interface and users can create hundreds of different bar codes along with variable data. Companies using the software will be better equipped to manage on-demand color labeling solutions to help meet customer requests and optimize print output. The Canon label printers, when combined with the TEKLYNX software, can benefit companies in industries such as manufacturing, packaging, retail, wholesale and transportation/shipping.

"With TEKLYNX bar-code label design software, what you see is what you get — our native, embedded printer drivers print labels that are extremely accurate to what you see on the screen," said Travis Wayne, product manager, TEKLYNX Americas Inc. "We are looking forward to having Canon users experience the quality and efficiency this software has to offer."

The TEKLYNX bar-code and label design software is now available for purchase from authorized TEKLYNX resellers. The new drivers for the Canon label printers are available for download at no additional charge from the TEKLYNX website after purchasing the software.

Canon's LX-D1300, LX-D5500 and LX-P1300 label printers are available for purchase through Canon's authorized resellers.

In other news, Canon U.S.A. Inc. has announced that Forbes has recognized Canon as one of America's Best Employers for Veterans 2022. Forbes and Statista Inc. announced Canon's inclusion in this ranking of companies this month. The list is now live on the Forbes website.

Forbes and Statista selected America's Best Employers for Veterans 2022 based on independent surveys of roughly 7,000 U.S. veterans working part- or full-time for companies employing at least 1,000 people within the United States. The evaluation was based on direct and indirect recommendations from employees who were asked to rate their willingness to recommend their own employers to friends and family. Employee evaluations also included other employers in their respective industries that stood out either positively or negatively. Furthermore, participants were asked to give their opinion on a series of statements related to general topics regarding their own employers, for example: atmosphere and development; image; working conditions; salary and wage; workplace; diversity; and a set of topics related specifically to the interests of veterans in the workplace.

"Canon is honored to be recognized as one of our country's best employers for veterans," said N. Scott Millar, senior vice president and general manager of corporate human resources, audit, ethics and business consultation, Canon U.S.A. Inc., and senior vice president of human resources, Canon Solutions America Inc. "We are proud to support our veterans as well as their families, and we would like to thank Forbes and Statista for this outstanding accolade."

According to Statista, the title "America's Best Employers for Veterans 2022" serves to reinforce Canon's reputation as a company that provides excellent employment opportunities for U.S veterans. Dan Schultz, senior logistics director for Canon U.S.A. Inc., is a U.S. veteran and has now been part of the Canon team for nearly 20 years.

"I joined the military for the opportunities to obtain a world-class education, serve my country, lead like-minded people, and gain exposure to people, places and cultures throughout the world," Schultz said. "In the military and in business, mission and objective accomplishments are always at the forefront. Pursuing the harder right, rather than the easier compromise, is a trait I developed in the military and it has continued to serve me well throughout my career at Canon."