Tele-immersion Portal: Towards an Ultimate Synthesis of Computer Graphics and Computer Vision Systems

We describe a novel approach for unifying computer graphics and computer vision systems, and our initial results in building and using a prototype system. This approach has three significant characteristics: unification of the real and virtual worlds for both input and output, tele-collaboration between remote participants, and interaction between heterogeneous stand-alone 3-dimensional (3D) graphics applications [1]. The system is designed to run on the networks of the future, and it is capable of transmitting blends of dynamic computer graphics and computer vision data in real-time. In this text we concentrate on its visual part, in particular on synergy of computer graphics and computer vision systems as a new medium for collaboration and tele-presence. The preliminary steps of our research make us increasingly optimistic that in the future this technology will provide highly compelling, immersive environments for an increasing variety of tele-collaborative applications over high bandwidth networks