Virtual Team User Environments – A Key Application in Telecommunication Oliver SCHREER 1 , Ken CHANG 2 , Emile HENDRIKS 2 , Jan Maarten SCHRAAGEN 3 , John STONE 4 , Emanuele TRUCCO 5 , Michael JEWELL 6 1 Heinrich-Hertz-Institut Berlin, Einsteinufer 37, D-10587 Berlin, Germany, Phone: ++49 30 31002 –620, e-mail: schreer@hhi.de 2 Technical University Delft, ICT, Mekelweg 4, 2628 CD Delft, The Netherlands, 3 TNO Human Factors, P.O. Box 23, 3769 ZG Soesterberg, The Netherlands, 4 Sony Broadcast & Professional R&D, Sony BPE, Jays Close, Basingstoke RG22 4SB, 5 Heriot-Watt University, Dept. of Computer and Electrical Engineering, Riccarton, 6 BTexact, MLB3/7 pp2, Adastral Park, Martlesham Heath, Ipswich IP5 3RE, UK Abstract. The IST-project VIRTUE is now in its last year of a 3-year project. The overall aim of this project is to realise a real-time 3D videoconferencing system creating a convincing impression of immersive telepresence. The system design is completed and we are now able to present the final 3D videoconference station including the whole architecture of the system, all the required components and the chosen software implementation. In this paper we will discuss the cost efficient, flexible and modular hardware extension we developed, which can be applied to other demanding signal processing applications as well. The integration of all modules is scheduled for this year, enabling a detailed investigation of the system’s performance regarding transmission, bandwidth and hardware requirements. Furthermore, we will discuss usability and user friendliness of the final system as well as a realistic price estimate of this innovative 3D conferencing station. 1. Introduction Virtual team user environments can be regarded as the key application of future telecommunications. The need for decision-making aids and team work in international research projects, worldwide operating companies or global investment banking currently requires a huge amount of travel, the disadvantages of which in terms of costs as well as security are obvious. The EU Framework-V IST-project VIRTUE (VIRtual Team User Environment) has now been running for more than two years and it is presenting a novel technical solution to overcome these problems. The consortium consists of BT (UK), Sony (UK), Heriot-Watt University (UK), TU Delft (NL), TNO Human Factors (NL) and Heinrich-Hertz-Institute (Germany). VIRTUE has developed a new and innovative technology necessary to produce a convincing perception of presence in a 3-way telepresence video conferencing system. This is achieved by a seamless transition between the real working desk in front of a large display and the virtual conference table at the screen. It gives the user the impression of being part of an extended perceptual space ideal for supporting advanced tele- communication and tele-collaboration. Important communication cues like gestures, eye contact and body language are represented as naturally as possible based on a rendering of 3D live video images of the remote participants in the shared virtual environment. The early vision of our project is shown in Figure 1 (left). In this artist’s impression many participants located in different geographical places are meeting around a virtual table. The appearance of remote speakers is such that local participants are led to believe