Recreating the parallax effect associated with Fishtank VR in a Real-Time telepresence system using head-tracking and a robotic camera

This project aims to simulate the effect of Fishtank virtual reality in a telepresence system by using head-tracking and real-time control of a robotic camera. Despite the use of the term telepresence, the focus is here not on two-way communication between persons in separate spaces, but in creating a strong sense of physical presence by making the observed scene seem to be an extension of the room. The observer can thus interact with a 3D stage as though the screen were a window into the remote space. The research carried out here is unprecedented in that, to the authors´ knowledge, nobody has employed one of the fundamental aspects of the Fishtank concept, namely the alignment of viewer-screen distance to camera-stage distance, in conjunction with a head-coupled camera system. The implementation is described followed by a brief discussion of its limitations and suggestions for future developments.