Croom Roadmap

Vision Statement

Transform Croom from a simple, cost-effective conference room solution into an enterprise-grade video conferencing platform that rivals Cisco Webex Room Kit at a fraction of the cost, while maintaining its core philosophy of simplicity and reliability.

Target Market

• Small to medium businesses (SMBs) with 5-500 meeting rooms
• Educational institutions (schools, universities)
• Religious organizations and non-profits
• Healthcare facilities
• Government offices with budget constraints

Core Design Principles

1. Non-Destructive Installation: Install on existing Raspberry Pi OS without reformatting
2. Modern OS Support: Compatible with latest Raspberry Pi OS (Bookworm/Trixie)
3. Hardware Adaptive: Features scale based on available hardware (Pi 4/5, AI accelerators)
4. Privacy First: All AI processing happens locally, no cloud dependency
5. Simple Updates: Standard apt package management, OTA updates

Competitive Analysis

Cisco Webex Room Kit (Enterprise Standard)

| Feature | Cisco Room Kit | Croom Current | Croom Target | |———|—————|—————-|—————| | Hardware Cost | $3,000-15,000 | <$100 | <$250 (with AI) | | AI Speaker Tracking | Yes | No | Phase 2 | | Auto-Framing | Yes | No | Phase 2 | | Multi-Platform Support | Yes | Google Meet only | Phase 1 | | Central Management | Control Hub | None | Phase 1 | | Local Touch UI | Yes | No | Phase 1 | | Analytics/Monitoring | Yes | None | Phase 2 | | Remote Troubleshooting | Yes | SSH only | Phase 2 | | Noise Reduction | Yes | No | Phase 2 | | Modern OS Support | N/A | Bullseye only | Phase 1 | | Non-Destructive Install | N/A | No (requires imaging) | Phase 1 |

Phase 1: Modern Foundation (Q1)

1.1 Modern Installation System ⭐ NEW

Priority: P0 - Critical | PRD: PRD-007

Replace image-based deployment with modern package installation:

• One-line installer: curl -fsSL https://get.croom.io | bash
• APT packages: Standard Debian package management
• Non-destructive: Install on existing Raspberry Pi OS
• OS Support: Bookworm (Debian 12), Trixie (Debian 13) ready
• Hardware Support: Raspberry Pi 4B and Pi 5 (primary targets)
• Update system: apt-based updates, rollback support
• Migration: Tools for legacy (image-based) to modern installation

Packages:

• croom-core - Agent and meeting functionality
• croom-browser - Chromium configuration and extensions
• croom-ui - Touch screen interface (optional)
• croom-ai - AI features (optional)

1.2 Touch Screen Room UI ⭐ NEW

Priority: P1 - High | PRD: PRD-005

Local management interface for room administrators:

• Display Support: Official Raspberry Pi Touch Display (7”), HDMI touch displays
• Features:
  • Room status at a glance (next meeting, system health)
  • Meeting controls (mute, camera, leave)
  • Quick join for ad-hoc meetings
  • WiFi and network configuration
  • Audio/video device selection
  • Diagnostics and troubleshooting
• Framework: Qt6/QML with PySide6
• Accessibility: Touch-first design, remote/keyboard navigation
• Local Web Interface: Same UI accessible via browser at http://croom.local:8080

1.3 Management Dashboard MVP

Priority: P0 - Critical | PRD: PRD-001

Web-based fleet management:

• Device registration and inventory
• Real-time device status monitoring
• Remote configuration management
• Credential management (encrypted)
• Bulk device provisioning
• Basic alerting (device offline, errors)

Technical Stack:

• Backend: Node.js/Express
• Frontend: React + TypeScript
• Database: PostgreSQL
• Real-time: WebSocket/Socket.IO

1.4 Multi-Platform Meeting Support

Priority: P0 - Critical | PRD: PRD-002

Extend beyond Google Meet:

• Google Meet (current - enhancement needed)
• Microsoft Teams (browser-based)
• Zoom (browser-based)
• Webex (browser-based)

Implementation:

• Modular meeting provider architecture
• Calendar integration for auto-detection
• Per-room platform preference

1.5 Zero-Touch Device Provisioning

Priority: P1 - High | PRD: PRD-003

Simple device setup:

• Captive portal WiFi setup
• QR code scanning for configuration
• Dashboard-based remote provisioning
• USB configuration file support

1.6 IR Remote Control Support

Priority: P2 - Medium | Related: Upstream PR #15

Universal remote support:

• Samsung, LG, Sony, Vizio keymaps
• Configurable key mappings
• Meeting control via remote

Phase 2: Enterprise & AI Features (Q2)

2.1 Edge AI Features ⭐ NEW

Priority: P1 - High | PRD: PRD-006

Local AI processing on Raspberry Pi hardware:

Hardware Support: | Hardware | TOPS | Features | |———-|——|———-| | Pi 5 + AI Kit (Hailo-8L) | 13 | Full AI features | | Pi 4/5 + Coral USB | 4 | Most AI features | | CPU only | ~1 | Basic features |

AI Features (by priority):

• P0: Person detection, noise reduction, echo cancellation
• P1: Auto-framing (digital zoom), speaker detection
• P2: PTZ speaker tracking, hand raise detection, occupancy analytics
• P3: Gesture recognition

Privacy:

• All processing local (no cloud)
• No data stored or transmitted
• Privacy mode toggle in UI

2.2 Advanced Monitoring & Analytics

Priority: P1 - High | PRD: PRD-001

Comprehensive monitoring:

• Device health metrics (CPU, memory, temperature)
• Meeting quality metrics (audio/video quality)
• Room utilization analytics
• Historical data and trends
• Exportable reports

2.3 Security Hardening

Priority: P0 - Critical | PRD: PRD-004

Enterprise security:

• Encrypted credential storage (AES-256)
• TLS everywhere (1.3 required)
• LDAP/Active Directory integration
• SSO support (SAML, OIDC)
• MFA for dashboard
• Comprehensive audit logging
• SOC 2 Type II readiness

2.4 Remote Management & Troubleshooting

Priority: P1 - High

Enterprise-grade remote management:

• Remote reboot/shutdown
• Log collection and analysis
• Remote shell access (secure, audited)
• Configuration push (bulk updates)
• OTA software updates
• Screen capture for troubleshooting

2.5 Wireless Content Sharing

Priority: P2 - Medium

Wireless presentation:

• Miracast support
• AirPlay support
• Chrome/Edge casting
• HDMI input passthrough

Phase 3: Advanced Features (Q3-Q4)

3.1 Advanced AI Features

Priority: P2 - Medium | PRD: PRD-006

Enhanced AI capabilities:

• PTZ camera speaker tracking
• Advanced pose estimation
• Meeting zone detection
• Gesture recognition (wave to start meeting)

3.2 Voice Control Integration

Priority: P3 - Low

Hands-free control (optional):

• Wake word detection (local processing)
• Voice commands (join, leave, mute)
• Privacy-first design

3.3 Room Booking Integration

Priority: P2 - Medium

Calendar and booking systems:

• Google Calendar (current)
• Microsoft 365/Exchange
• Room booking displays
• Occupancy-based room release
• Integration with booking platforms

3.4 Digital Signage Mode

Priority: P3 - Low

Idle display features:

• Company announcements
• Upcoming meetings
• Room availability status
• Custom content management

3.5 Advanced Interoperability

Priority: P2 - Medium

Enterprise integrations:

• SIP/H.323 gateway support
• PBX system integration
• Recording/streaming integration

Phase 4: Scale & Polish (Q4+)

4.1 High Availability

• Redundant management servers
• Device failover configurations
• Offline operation capabilities
• Disaster recovery procedures

4.2 Multi-Tenant Support

• Organization isolation
• Role-based access control
• White-label dashboard
• Reseller/MSP support

4.3 Mobile Applications

• iOS and Android apps
• Device management
• Remote control
• Meeting join via mobile

4.4 Hardware Ecosystem

• Certified peripheral list
• Hardware bundles/kits
• OEM partnerships

Hardware Requirements

Minimum Hardware

| Component | Minimum | Recommended | |———–|———|————-| | Raspberry Pi | Pi 4B 2GB | Pi 5 4GB | | Storage | 16GB microSD | 32GB microSD | | Camera | Any USB webcam | Logitech C920/C922 | | Display (optional) | 7” touch | Official Pi Touch Display |

For AI Features

| Feature Level | Hardware Required | Cost | |—————|——————-|——| | Basic (no AI) | Pi 4B 2GB | ~$55 | | Standard (limited AI) | Pi 5 4GB | ~$60 | | Full AI | Pi 5 + AI Kit | ~$130 | | Alternative | Pi 4/5 + Coral USB | ~$115-120 |

Supported Operating Systems

• Raspberry Pi OS Bookworm 64-bit (primary)
• Raspberry Pi OS Trixie 64-bit (coming 2025)
• Ubuntu 24.04 arm64 (secondary)

Upstream Contributions

PRs to Implement

1. PR #15: Samsung keymap - IR remote support foundation

Issues to Address

1. Issue #17: WiFi module / ad hoc setup → PRD-003, PRD-007
2. Issue #9: Convert to apt packages → PRD-007
3. Issue #6: Dynamic device setup → PRD-003
4. Issue #5: Re-base on pi-gen → PRD-007 (alternative approach)

Fork Integration (xaghy/croom)

• On-Pi setup functionality
• Documentation improvements

Success Metrics

Phase 1

• Installation works on existing Raspberry Pi OS (no reformat)
• Touch UI functional on official Pi display
• Management dashboard managing 10+ devices
• Support for 3+ meeting platforms
• Zero-touch device provisioning working

Phase 2

• AI features running on Pi 5 + AI Kit
• Auto-framing accuracy > 90%
• Noise reduction measurably improves quality
• 99.9% device uptime achieved
• Security audit passed

Phase 3

• PTZ speaker tracking functional
• Voice control accuracy > 95%
• Room booking integration with 3+ platforms

Phase 4

• Supporting 1000+ devices per installation
• Multi-tenant deployment active
• Mobile apps launched

Resource Requirements

Development Team (Recommended)

• 1 Full-stack Developer (Dashboard, Touch UI)
• 1 Systems Developer (Device software, AI integration)
• 1 DevOps Engineer (Infrastructure, CI/CD, packages)
• 0.5 QA Engineer
• 0.5 Technical Writer

Infrastructure

• Package repository (apt)
• Cloud hosting for dashboard
• CI/CD pipeline
• Device testing lab:
  • Raspberry Pi 4B (2GB, 4GB)
  • Raspberry Pi 5 (4GB, 8GB)
  • Pi AI Kit, Coral USB
  • Various touch displays
  • Multiple webcam models

Risk Assessment

Timeline Summary

Version History