Is 3D Really Worth It?

To an optimist, 3D will end up being the de facto standard for virtual worlds, mirror worlds, and the geo/Where 2.0 community. From web browsing to shopping to geo-specific applications, the online experience will all be 3D or have 3D components to the experience. To a skeptic, 3D is still hard to use, over hyped, and many years away.

In this talk, we provide a framework from which we can discuss pros and cons of 3D for the Where 2.0 audience starting from the past, then talking about the current state of the art, then finally moving into what the future of 3D may bring. In this light, we ask the question: Is 3D really worth while?

We will first cover the historical aspects of 3D, from early days of 3D graphics and computer vision, providing the audience the background of some seminal work from the research community that is relevant to the Where 2.0 community. Then we will discuss the “now”—the current 3D computer graphics and vision state of the art; e.g. Photosynth, Google Earth, panoramic imagery, photogrammetry, and computational photography. We will also discuss how these 3D technologies are being adopted and used for the Where 2.0 community, and vice versa of how the Web and Where 2.0 communities are affecting the computer graphics and vision communities. Finally, we will discuss how and what the future may hold for these types of technologies, both from the optimist’s and the skeptic’s point of view.

Some call 3D the dark horse at night—we can hear it coming, but cannot be sure when it will arrive. Currently, 3D feels like it’s almost here. Optimist or a skeptic, we believe in the value of 3D. The question is not why; it’s more when and how. All this will be explained in a simple format that a novice can understand.