Friday, July 2, 2004
BBC: "Webcam Lets Users Eyeball Others"
Posted by Suhit Gupta in "NEWS" @ 06:00 AM
"Instant messaging could get a lot more interesting if webcam technology from Microsoft gets the go-ahead. i2i, in development at Microsoft's research lab in Cambridge, UK, is a two-camera system which very carefully follows an individual's movement. It uses a specially developed algorithm to fuse what each camera sees to create an accurate stereo "cyclopean" image. This means it looks as if users are looking each other in the eye. It can also display floating 3D emoticons."
I have been using Instant Messaging for several years now and this would be a very cool addition to the experience. Apparently over 18.5 million people are using webcams when IM'ing each other (I have done it only a couple of times, and only when chatting with my parents. Since they live in India, they want to see me every chance they get, but the whole setup got too tedious for the incredibly low resolution images and we soon put an end to it). Anyways, this would not necessarily help with the blurry images but it would enhance the experience.
I have been using Instant Messaging for several years now and this would be a very cool addition to the experience. Apparently over 18.5 million people are using webcams when IM'ing each other (I have done it only a couple of times, and only when chatting with my parents. Since they live in India, they want to see me every chance they get, but the whole setup got too tedious for the incredibly low resolution images and we soon put an end to it). Anyways, this would not necessarily help with the blurry images but it would enhance the experience.
