IBM and Nokia Developing Augmented Reality Conferencing System in Second Life

IBM and Nokia are developing an augmented reality conferencing system in Second Life, so people can share a real and virtual meeting space. Here's a video of the system in action, which incorporates head-mounted cameras to track eye and avatar position, integrating video from the real world and Second Life. That way, as the demo shows, meeting attendees can examine a 3D building which only exists in SL:

The project is being done in coordination with the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, led by Charles Woodward, a Research Professor with VTT (known as Charles Cyberschreiber in SL.) It seems too cumbersome to be of much practical use, as yet. However, Woodward told me by email, the system is currently "just at prototype stage, and we have not tested it in real telemeetings. However we are starting a continuation project with over twice the budget of the first project, intending to take this into practical use. Besides head-mounted displays we have the idea of using large screens such as CAVEs and standard video conferencing systems for displaying the avatars and object interaction. We will also pilot the system in large exhbitions and fairs. I'm confident the system will have very practical use after we are finished (at end of next year.)" His fellow VTT developer is Tuomas Kantonen (Thomas Meridoc in SL), along with a number of staffers with IBM and Nokia. Keep an eye out for future iterations!

Comments

[rikomatic]

very impressive, nicely done!

[Lyndzay Meili]

Very interesting. Still a little lost on AR with SL usage but am curious to see what can be done with it.

[truthseeker young]

Even assuming a much sleeker interface/goggles setup, this still looks like a clunky and redundant meshing of the two technologies.

It's certainly neato, and I can totally imagine some cool applications that could develop from this early work, but this particular test just seems a bit...recursive...

[coco]

Nothing new, I punched my face through my monitor to view Second Life porn months ago.

coco

[Conferencing Services Provider]

congratulations for this achievement.