Tools for User Interaction in Immersive Environments

REVERIE – REal and Virtual Engagement in Realistic Immersive Environments – is a large scale collaborative project co-funded by the European Commission targeting novel research in the general domain of Networked Media and Search Systems. The project aims to bring about a revolution in 3D media and virtual reality by developing technologies for safe, collaborative, online environments that can enable realistic interpersonal communication and interaction in immersive environments. To date, project partners have been developing component technologies for a variety of functionalities related to the aims of REVERIE prior to integration into an end-to-end system. In this demo submission, we first introduce the project in general terms, outlining the high-level concept and vision before briefly describing the suite of demonstrations that we intend to present at MMM 2014. 1 The REVERIE Project Within the REVERIE (REal and Virtual Engagement in Realistic Immersive Environments) project we believe that it is time to move online interaction towards the next logical step in its evolution: to immersive collaborative environments that support realistic inter-personal communication. Recent scientific advances in a variety of different research fields mean that it is now possible to integrate research outputs towards technologies that support real-time realistic interaction between humans in online virtual and immersive environments. REVERIE envisages an ambient, content-centric Internet-based environment, highly flexible and secure, where people can work, meet, participate in live events, socialise and share experiences, as they do in real life, but without time, space and affordability limitations. To achieve this we focus on the integration of cutting-edge technologies related to 3D data acquisition and processing, sound processing, autonomous avatars, networking, real-time rendering, and physical interaction and emotional engagement in virtual worlds. The project features two compelling use case scenarios that will be used as the basis for technical integration and that collectively will allow the project to demonstrate the validity and potential socio-economic benefits of REVERIE’s vision of the future of online interaction in immersive environments.