Communication Services in 3D
The Challenge
The transition of the web from a 2D medium into a 3D medium will require a communications service that takes full advantage of the power of the personal computer, wide broadband deployment and numerous enabling 3D products and services to provide an immersive voice and video over IP experience to a broad market via a 3D web interface in a uniquely efficient manner.
The Solution
We achieved this challenge by offering Silhouette based service through a highly realistic computer generated environment called the Nexostm. Silhouette extracts each users video image from an arbitrary background without a monochromatic (e.g., blue or green) screen. The extracted images are then streamed with associated audio over the web at real time frame rates into either: 1) free-space; 2) a highly-realistic computer generated environment; or 3) the original background environment on the receive end. By seamlessly extracting and transplanting the userҒs image in real time, Silhouette enables multiple users to be present in the same 3D space in impromptu conferences initiated by simply navigating into the shared space. The application requires only a personal computer, PDA, cell phone, or game console with a high-speed broadband or wireless connection and an integrated or standalone video camera (web cam). IVN’s technology is VRML and X3D compliant using client technology from Bitmanagement Software GmbH.