Microsoft is working on a new project that would transform the way we video chat with people.
Microsoft Research's new augmented reality system called Room2Room projects a person into a room hologram-style, so that they appear to be sitting in a chair across from the person with who, they're speaking.
Providing a new and innovative way to communicate face-to-face, Room2Room works by using Microsoft's Kinect depth cameras and digital projectors to capture a 3D image of a person. A life-sized version of that person is then projected in real-time into another room so that they communicate with whoever is already in said room.
The researchers report that both the person viewing the projection and the person being projected will be able to see a digital image of one another from their perspectives, as well as having the ability to look around when interacting with one another.
The team of Microsoft researchers tested the augmented reality video chat system with seven pairs of participants. In each pair, the participant that was projected was asked to give instructions and the other one sitting at a table was asked to follow the directions to build three-dimensional shapes with blocks.
The researchers found it took only 7 minutes for the pairs to solve the puzzles to build the shapes in augmented reality, compared with the 9 minutes it took using Skype's video chat.
While augmented reality video chat could change the way offices hold video conferences or loved ones connect, Room2Room isn't quite ready to be released to the public. It's challenging to set up the hardware, and the life-sized projections are not shown in high-resolution.
However, improving the resolution is a simple fix and the release of virtual reality headseta like Oculus Rift — which could support Room2Room — might help speed the advancements needed.
Microsoft Research will present a paper about the video chat technology at the Consumer-Supported Cooperative Work and Social Computer conference in San Francisco that will take place late next month.
Source: MIT Technology Review
