MIT Media Labs shows Surround Vision technology
updated 10:40 am EDT, Fri April 9, 2010
MIT Media Labs develops Surround Vision tech
MIT's Media Labs students say they have developed technology that would let viewers interact with what they're watching, or at least choose to see more than what is being shown in front of them. Headed up by graduate student Santiago Alfaro, it will involve more than one display, with a magnetometer-equipped mobile device such as an iPhone 3GS or tablet, that users hold and pan to see what is going in the movie around them. The technology relies on the source material to be filmed from more than one perspective as well.
Together with Media Lab research scientist Michael Bove, Alfaro created and demonstrated a working prototype of the system. The two foresee commercialization of the system, thanks to the supplementary content being streamed over the Internet to compatible handheld devices that would sync with a regular broadcast on TV.
"This could be in your home next year if a network decided to do it," Bove said.
In his demonstration, Alfaro used footage he shot from three angles on a MID equipped with the necessary motion sensors. Pointing the handheld device straight ahead results in the same footage as the main display being shown, while turning it to the sides shows the alternate feeds.
The technology could also be applied to the existing alternate endings or scenes that are in the bonus materials section of a DVD. Specially developed content from partners of the project is expected to arrive in the summer. [via TechShout]
