An interesting and very recent piece of news is the unveiling of Photosynth by Microsoft, a hybrid software/service that allows users to create 3-D environments (including urban ones) by stitching multiple photographs together. In announcing the new technology, Microsoft said it has created "an entirely new visual medium". In a video posted on Microsoft's site, Gary Flake, a technical fellow at Microsoft, said, "Photosynth, more than any other technology that I can think of, points us in the direction of what's to come. Photosynth will mark the beginning of an important transition in photography and the Internet".
To create "synths," as Microsoft calls Photosynth's creations, users take between 20 and 300 overlapping photos. The Photosynth software analyzes the collection for similarities and uses that data to estimate where a photo was taken and "recreates the environment ... as a canvas on which to display the photos," according to a release.
But rather than just enabling users to create these environments on their PCs Microsoft has fashioned Photosynth as an online application (following the YouTube philosophy). Users create synths and upload source images via the Photosynth.com Web site. The site generates code to embed the results on websites (though users will have to install an ActiveX control to see synths).
While Photosynth is being rolled out as a consumer toy, Microsoft sees substantial applications in the various business areas. Shopping experiences that are "extremely visual" are one application accordining to company representatives. Microsoft's press site also featured videos showing Realtors and even NASCAR drivers using the technology...
The official site for this service is http://www.photosynth.com/
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