This entry isn’t exactly video related, but it opens up interesting discussions about the future of video on the web.

Microsoft Live Labs have developed a new technology that creates 3D “walk-throughs” from random photos of the same location.

From the Microsoft Live Labs website:

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“Our software takes a large collection of photos
of a place or an object, analyzes them for similarities, and displays
them in a reconstructed three-dimensional space.

With Photosynth you can:

• Walk or fly through a scene to see photos from any angle.
• Seamlessly zoom in or out of a photo whether it’s megapixels or gigapixels in size.
• See where pictures were taken in relation to one another.
• Find similar photos to the one you’re currently viewing.
• Send a collection – or a particular view of one – to a friend.”

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So what happens when all of our video from a specific location can be interconnected to offer 3D movies?

This could be much more interactive TV News than the traditional “viewer opinion poll.” Jane and Joe Viewer could walk around a crime scene and find clues for themselves or find their friend in the crowd of a City Council meeting.

I’m sure that’s a long way away, but in the meantime, this is a cool toy.

Read about the technology at: http://labs.live.com/photosynth/whatis/
Watch video of the technology at: http://labs.live.com/photosynth/video.html