HCC: Collaborative Research: PHYSNET: Physical Interaction Using the Internet

远程沉浸式环境允许被距离分隔的人们在共享的3D虚拟环境中进行物理交互和实时通信，通过使用大型摄像机网络，可以捕获和重建3D图像和声音，并随后整合来自地理分布站点的多媒体数据。该项目开发和部署下一代远程沉浸式环境，为没有昂贵的超级计算设施和专用网络的普通用户构建。更具体地说，这个项目的愿景是创造一个地理分布和成本效益高的远程沉浸式环境，方便普通人在他们的家里、学校、医生办公室或职业培训设施中进行体育活动，而教练、治疗师或老师却不在同一地点。该项目的更广泛影响是促进老年人和残疾人在家中和工作场所与亲属、保健提供者和其他服务提供者的身体互动和交流，特别是当他们在康复、恢复或培训期间需要某种互动时。该项目还将研究使用普通互联网连接的多媒体分布式通信，这种通信不需要高带宽或极其昂贵的设备，因此可能促进远程沉浸式环境的广泛使用。

Tele-immersive environments allow people separated by distance to physically interact and communicate in real time inside a shared 3D virtual environment through the use of large camera networks that enable the capture and reconstruction of 3D images and sound and the subsequent integration of this multimedia data from geographically distributed sites. This project develops and deploys a next generation tele-immersive environment built for the common user who does not have the luxury of expensive supercomputing facilities and dedicated networks. More particularly, the vision of this project is to create a geographically distributed and cost effective tele-immersive environment that facilitates ordinary people performing physical activities in their homes or schools or doctor''s offices or job training facilities under the supervision of a trainer, therapist, or teacher who is not co-located.The broader impact of this project is in facilitating physical interaction and communication of the elderly and persons with disabilities in their homes and work places with relatives, health care providers, and other service providers, in particular whenever they need some interaction during a period of rehabilitation, recovery or training. This project will also examine multimedia distributed communication using common Internet connectivity, which does not require high bandwidth or extremely expensive equipment, and thus may promote wider use of tele-immersive environments.