Interacting in Shared Reality

Commercial videoconferencing products have begun to reach a level of quality acceptable for many lowintensity interactions. However, these systems fail to deliver true “high-fidelity” that serves as a viable alternative to physical co-presence for more demanding interactions. The solution, we believe, lies in the synergy between high bandwidth networks and the application of information technologies that take advantage of such networks. Specifically, computation can be employed to enrich the communication channel, exploiting an awareness of users’ activity in order to better support their needs. In this manner, we are entering an era of communication in which distance need no longer dictate limitations on high quality distributed experiences and interaction.