Augmented Mixed Reality: SL pops out from the Screen from cristiancontini on Vimeo
This is a really cool video demo, using the Augmented Reality Toolkit created at the University of Washington's Human Interface Technology Laboratory (free download/instruction guide available here.) Normally, the ARTkit is used to integrate 3D virtual images into a real world video feed, but here, metaverse developer Christian Contini uses it to integrate virtual images onto the surface of a monitor that's displaying Second Life. The effect, as you see in this video, is that Second Life objects seem to "pop" out of the monitor into 3D form. Hat tip to Andrew Hudson-Smith at Digital Urban, who describes this as "a really unique concept of importing/moving and visualization objects in a virtual environment." Maybe, and while it's definitely a lot of fun, the practical applications for this aren't popping out to me as quickly as this 3D snowman. What would you use it for?
Woah, since when do you actually embed video?
Posted by: rikomatic | Monday, January 26, 2009 at 08:08 PM
Yeah, that bling halo popped right out at me, it was amazing!
Posted by: Nebulosus Severine | Monday, January 26, 2009 at 08:31 PM
Yeah, that is the first time you have ever embedded video hamlet!
Posted by: Nexii Malthus | Tuesday, January 27, 2009 at 03:24 AM
Seems like a good start for having a quick and easy way to have a shared 3D space to be able to discuss prototypes and designs if they extend it to allow OBJ files to be viewed by multiple avatars.
This would be really useful for product prototyping design reviews. I started to read through the documentation, but don't have time or enough geekiness to follow - but this seems like a pretty good start to being able to pop 3D models from other apps into SL - say, a product design in AutoCAD or something. Allows for a shared space for discussion and review using 3D model software from elsewhere.
If this can import OBJ files and can somehow synch multiple viewers, could be a real winner.
Otherwise, it's also just really nifty and it got you to post video. :)
Posted by: Dusan Writer | Tuesday, January 27, 2009 at 03:57 AM
This could be a great way to shoot low-cost but high-impact commercials of 3D-products or services. You don't even need Second Life to do this - when my printer broke during an AR demo I simply aimed my webcam at the open PDF of the ARtoolkit symbol and it got the idea across anyway. The demo was actually about how to offer AR on any website using Flash and a webcam with the FLARtoolkit: http://interactive.digitalpictures.com.au/?p=392
Posted by: Gaby Benkwitz aka Windfairy Welles | Tuesday, January 27, 2009 at 05:06 AM
I did something similar to this a couple of months ago by using a web-based tool.
Photo and instructions (it's easy to do):
Augmented Second Life using Papervision and the Flash-based tool made by Boffswana
Posted by: Opensource Obscure | Tuesday, January 27, 2009 at 05:48 AM
@opensource That's the same demo I was referring to (Boffswana FLARtoolkit)! It's a great example of how easy it is nowadays to implement Mixed Reality with no expansive Hardware whatsoever.
Posted by: Gaby Benkwitz | Tuesday, January 27, 2009 at 06:30 AM