Microsoft demos panoramic cam for RoundTable

If you actually made it all the way through that rather dense post from the other day on what Microsoft is now calling its Unified Communications Platform, then you probably remember us mentioning a new software package called RoundTable that gives users a panoramic view of all the other participants at the remote end of a web-conference. Well now we've spied the first pics of that 360 degree camera which enables this immersive experience -- developed out of a Microsoft project called RingCam -- thanks to a recent demonstration featuring company employees and sitcom stars engaged in a scripted debate over what to order for lunch. As we saw at the mock meeting, users are able to toggle between viewing the entire remote group or just the active speaker, with RoundTable also allowing the speaker to broadcast documents or PowerPoint slides directly to participants' monitors. Like most of the other hardware and software elements that are part of the new platform, both RoundTable and the complementary cam will be available to business-types sometime during the second quarter of next year.

[Merkidemis @ Jun 28th 2006 2:21PM]

Wow, a 360 degree camera, like these haven't already been out for decades. Still, an interesting use for business.

[Yako @ Jun 28th 2006 2:25PM]

I think ipix www.ipix.com did something like this with security like 7 years ago.

[Ben @ Jun 28th 2006 2:25PM]

I think i saw one of those in War of the Worlds. Didn't they kill millions of people?

[Crazylink @ Jun 28th 2006 2:39PM]

How can the images/videos be recorded? Are they streached out or something else?

[Adizzy @ Jun 28th 2006 4:59PM]

It's recorded in panaromic view.
Video is viewable in panaromic view or focusing on the most active speaker.

[slyecho @ Jun 28th 2006 5:36PM]

Does it need a 360 degree monitor to work?

[David @ Jun 28th 2006 6:12PM]

I'm going to mount one on the roof of my car.

[uhit235 @ Jun 28th 2006 10:58PM]

Whoa....
Ugly.

[Shadyman @ Jun 28th 2006 11:33PM]

Easy. Get one CCD and one cone-shaped mirror. Ta-da.

[simba @ Jun 29th 2006 9:56AM]

If its anything like their earlier gen Ringcam, must be a beast to make because it has multiple cameras looking all around.

[drjsguo @ Jul 5th 2006 8:43PM]

Does anybody know the difference between IPIX's product and Microsoft's RoundTable?