Mixed Reality Manchester: SL Avatars Invade UK Park

This looks like a pretty brilliant application of mixed reality: last October in Manchester, a big screen display was set up in All Saints Gardens; the park was also recreated in Second Life.  Meanwhile, video cameras in the real park record people who are there, and that live footage is merged in a chroma mixer to video captured in the SL version of All Saints.  The result is broadcast on the Manchester screen, so people there can watch themselves interact with avatars.  But that's just the beginning: the mixed reality video is also broadcast into the virtual version of All Saints Gardens in Second Life, so avatars can watch themselves interact with people in the real park, too.

If I'm describing it correctly, that is; there's enough multiple layers of reality to give me an ontological nosebleed.  Check out the creator's project site, Liberate Your Avatar, with photos and video of the event.  Link via transArchitectural Topography, a really impressive blog by devoted to virtual/physical architecture, written by SL Resident Far Link.  He has commentary and a related thesis paper here.

Image credit: Liberate Your Avatar.

Update, 1:30pm:  Dusan Writer has some visionary thoughts on this project:  "I actually think it’s a prototype of things to come... [imagine] what a future concert might be like (wake up music industry!)-- one in which the artist appears both live and in a concurrent virtual space, and where attendees at the live event are able to access 3D content using portable devices (phones now, augmented reality sunglasses or implants later) including song archives..."

Comments

[Patric]

That is too beautiful to describe in words. One must use a psychedelic to relate to it, probably.
Like Writer said, imagine a concert with all this going on. Now imagine being able to *merge* with the star. Wow!

[Anthony]

This is a very impressive application using the mixed reality. Can this be done using a performance such as a street painting with a live artist creating the work for the SL - it should be done!

[Shazia]

Thank you so much for noticing and the geat post about my blog.