Google may be joining the likes of Microsoft and Apple by introducing a video chat feature for those who don’t feel like being on camera, but still want their face to be seen. ChatDirector is a prototype that uses a 3D avatar created from a face scan, while also utilizing shared 3D scenes and automatic layout transitions.
Google partners with HP to launch Project Starline in 2024
Yet another attempt at making virtual chats feel more immersive and personable, ChatDirector is still very much in the research phase. Designed to combat typical challenges presented in video calls, such as tracking the flow of communication and conversation due to the absence of “vital spatial visual cues,” Google says ChatDirector provides “all participants with speech-driven visual assistance within a space-aware shared meeting environment.”
Google gives an in-depth technical breakdown of the technology here, while the video above is taken from the CHI 2024 conference, presented by the Association of Computing Machinery. While no plans have been revealed into ChatDirector’s integration into Google Meet, it is a glimpse into what pitfalls Google is looking to combat when it comes to the next great wave of videoconferencing technology.
