Mitch Kapor: 3D cameras will make virtual worlds easier to use

STANFORD, Calif.--Mitch Kapor, like many people, is well aware that virtual worlds are often very difficult to use.

The founder of Lotus 1-2-3, who also happens to be the first investor in Second Life publisher Linden Lab and its chairman, spoke at the Metaverse Roadmap meeting here today on the topic of what can be done to make using virtual worlds a better experience.

"I'm obsessed with what's going to make these things easier to use," Kapor said, his face lit with excitement. "I think a piece of hardware is involved."

And that hardware? 3D cameras, he said.

(Credit: Martin LaMonica/CNET Networks)

The idea, he suggested, is that 3D cameras would be able to provide a new kind of input as to what users are doing at any given moment.

He said that the today's graphical user interface standard input, a mouse and keyboard, don't really make that much sense, but that people don't question it because there's no alternative.

But he pointed to the futuristic graphical display made famous in Steven Spielberg's Minority Report that allowed Tom Cruise's character to move information around on a screen with his hands.

"Look at Minority Report," Kapor said. "I'm here to say that (technology is) going to be real in the next (few) years."

In fact, he said, he predicted that 3D cameras, which would be built into computers much like regular 2D cameras are today, will be available in as little as 12 months.

Basically, 3D cameras would allow the virtual world software to interpret how users are moving in the real-world and to translate that movement into the software. That could mean, then, that if the user raises his or her hand, so too does their avatar.

Kapor said he wasn't clear on what the interface would be like, but he suggested it could be based on something like that of the Segway, in which users move their body forward and the Segway goes forward, backward to go backward, and so forth.

"So, if I look to the left in the real world, I just want my avatar to look to the left," Kapor said. "If I smile, I just want my avatar to smile. The cameras should be good enough to pick that up. I think we're going to see an amazing jump in the sense of presence."

Another experiential improvement the cameras could offer, he said, could be a better way to edit 3D objects.

"It's going to change how editing is done in 3D worlds," he said, "if you can reach in and grab the handles of an object and pull them out with your hands and extend or change the shape of the object."

To demonstrate the value of the cameras, Kapor said he has a prototype already and is planning, within a few months, to start putting up a series of videos shot with it onto YouTube.

All told, the 3D camera could well make up one of the components of the augmented reality piece of the Metaverse Roadmap document that the Accelerating Studies Foundation put out last year.

For now, though, it's too early to tell if Kapor's excitement will be matched by a real-life manifestation of the technology. But with someone like Kapor, who has a stellar track record of picking successful technology and institutions--he helped found the Electronic Frontier Foundation and is the founding chairman of the Mozilla Foundation--you have to give him the benefit of the doubt.

[chiwburbs]

Have a life!

There are so many things in this world that needs to be taken care of. Only losers who are unable to live their pathetic and sorry life would go to second or third or whatever life. Go and have a life!

[vjdavj]

my thoughts, exactly

I understand the targeted Ads & revenue opportunities in this space, but, I am also confused as to why people would want to waste their time in a Virtual world. And who cares if your avatar can look left... why not just look left in a regular camera. Besides that, I do like the idea of 3D UI a la Minority Report, and 3D cameras exist already.

[GreenbushLabs]

wrong - they do have a choice : Wiimote (See Edusim3d.com)

wrong - they do have a choice : Wiimote (See Edusim3d.com for examples)

[GreenbushLabs]

additional thoughts on direct manipulation in 3D spaces

surfaces are not perfect .. but at the present are wonder natural input devices (no they cant see us smile).. but more natural than the mouse !

[3dcameras]

I think You are right. I think there are many possibilities to use 3d cameras. The new 3d cameras are using a principle called Time-Of-Flight. Therefor only one optical device is needed. With the depth information many things are possible, not only to use it for to control games, but as well for conferencing, with a background to choose, or for manipulating photos. Of cause, 3d cameras are not a real novellety, like You can see at: http://www.3dcams.net , but the effect of captured 3d pictures is so great that people love to use them. A 3D Picture gallery You will find at: http://www.3dpic.net . I think 3D Cameras will have a beatifull future in Stereoscopic Photography as well as an interface between human and machine.