Business
Linden sees academic potential for Second Life with 3D voice
Online lectures and seminars could be more realistic and viable with new technology that lets residents speak. Voices are modified according to avatar direction and distance.
Second Life is about to get even more real by incorporating proximity-based 3D voice capabilities into the popular virtual reality site, reports Campus Technology
"3-D Voice" would allow "Second Life residents to speak to one another using spacial awareness algorithms that take distance and direction into account, modifying sounds to provide a more immersive experience," according to Linden Labs, creators of Second Life.
Currently, residents of Second Life can only communicate through text chat or third-party voice software. Residents would need only a microphone to use 3D voice.
"The addition of voice marks a natural progression in the ongoing evolution of Second Life," said Joe Miller, vice president of platform & technology development at Linden Labs. "We believe voice is a transformative technology that will change the way residents communicate, and will lend more immediacy and dynamism to their interaction with others. For example, academic institutions could use the voice feature of Second Life to carry out lectures; corporations could use it for customer training; and friends can simply catch up with each other."
Second Life has been increasingly used in academic settings, as well as businesses as tools for leaning and training.