I was watching US President Barack H. Obama‘s presidential inauguration last night on CNN, broadcast live and I was really surprised how thrilled I was despite the fact that I am not a US citizen. Largely because I am watching ‘history being made’, in another part of the world in real-time. (One can imagine the excitement of a US citizen at the ‘moment’!)
Microsoft Photosynth
Adding to the excitement was the use of Photosynth to present the ‘moment’ of the oath using a huge multi-touch screen by a CNN anchor (click here to see CNN’s Photosynth of the moment). Microsoft’s Photosynth can create an interactive 3D panorama from multiple still images.
Around 2 million people were present at the ceremony according to CNN and thousands have sent photos to them which was added to the Photosynth of the moment.
A special moment “captured” in 3D.
Thanks to Photosynth, the 44th US President’s historic swearing-in moment is captured in 3D and can be revisited by future generations, to experience it from many angles (unlike recorded video, which is not interactive… at least until ‘Holographic Video’ becomes a reality!)
So, go ahead and experiment Photosynth (which you can install if you don’t have it already)