i3D is now available in the App Store! But what is it? It’s a simple app that takes advantage of the Head-Coupled Perspective, or HCP, to track the face of a user in real time. The app makes your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch’s front-facing camera lock into your face and updates the perspective of a 3D scene accordingly. The app relies solely on head-tracking; the built-in accelerometer and gyroscope are not utilized. The developers note that HCP “does not create a stereoscopic display. It provides a kind of monocular 3D display: the same picture is seen by both eyes. In the future, it might be combined with a stereoscopic display for a better 3D effect.” The app comes preloaded with several 3D scenes for you to experiment with. It’s free, so there’s no reason not to try it out. Sure, i3D is a glorified demo of sorts but hopefully such experimentation will one day lead to full-fledged games that take advantage of the 3D illusion.
Tag Archives: head-tracking
Solid Snake to infiltrate arcade machines, 3D head-tracking style
Konami has brought the Metal Gear experience to an arcade cabinent with Metal Gear Arcade. Arcade is based on Metal Gear Online and the gameplay features “Integral Vision.” The included headmount enables a 3D effect and supports head-tracking movement (where you look, the on-screen character looks). The arcade cabinent also includes 5.1 surround sound, a built-in mic for voice chat, and physical gun controllers to help immerse you even further into the game. Metal Gear Arcade debuted this week at the AUO Expo in Japan; there’s no word as to when it will hit the market. Check out the trailer here and screenshots in the gallery below.
