Truly Immersive Communication Required
The Problem
The directions people look while using FaceTime, Skype, and other video chatting apps often feel odd since most naturally look at the person they are speaking with even when the camera recording them is inches above or below the image. Even when someone makes a concerted effort to look right at the camera, it’s easy to be distracted by the image of the person they are speaking with, causing them to occasionally change focus. And if everyone looks at the camera, no one looks at the person!
The Solution
In the past, there have been suggestions that computer manufacturers solve this by installing cameras within screens, and while that would solve the expectation people have, the technical means to do this can be difficult and cost-prohibitive with today’s technology.
A different route that computer manufacturers could go would be to add a camera on either side of the screen and about 1/3 of the way from the top. Based on how people naturally frame objects being observed, this placement would match the vertical point where people would typically be looking. With a broadcast coming from two cameras, the viewer may choose the one they feel is best based on their eye dominance. And with the right software, both cameras can broadcast to a special set of glasses giving a truly 3D view of the subject.
What Were They Thinking? 