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Where the internet is going

Now that Avatar has proved that 3D can be commercially successful, the rest of the film industry has been quick to follow in its footsteps. TV channels, too, have announced plans to broadcast in 3D; ESPN will broadcast a 3D World Cup match on June 11. 

But there’s something that would be far more exciting in 3D than movies or sports: the Internet. 

Think about it: while movies and television are passive mediums, the internet is interactive. And so this will be the place where we truly get to experience 3D. Not sitting back in our chairs, but navigating through links in 3 dimensions. It’s like moving from black & white to color.

But here’s the interesting thing. Instead of it taking years for 3D Internet to happen, I think it might be possible now. And better yet, it won’t require those annoying glasses. 

Here’s how. The two necessary technologies are computer screens in 3D and a way for us to interact with them. 

For the 3D part, take a look at this video:

As you can see, it’s a pretty convincing demo. And it’s possible now. With those visuals, all we need is an operating system built in 3D. But before we design a 3D operating system, we need some way to interact with it on 3 axes: forward, sideways, and up/down. 

Voila. Thank you, Microsoft:

So with a combination of these technologies (3D displays and 3D tracking), we can create an interface where, for example, you sit in front of your computer, gesturing with your hands Minority Report-style and seeing their mirror image onscreen as you interact with folders, links, and applications.

The possibilities are pretty exciting. Imagine a shopping website where you actually move through aisles and take products off the shelf. (I know, almost like real life!) Or a sports website where, in the middle of a live game, you can point to players around you and see their stats. 

Suddenly websites aren’t just designed up-down, left-right. There’s depth. This would take some getting used to, and as with all new technologies, it will have possibilities we can’t yet fathom. 

This is all very exciting, and (from my uninformed non-technical viewpoint, anyway) it seems to be possible now, so let’s hope the computer people get to work on it. Otherwise it’s going to be a long slog as 3D slowly makes its way from movies, to TV, to the web. Trust me, Rush Limbaugh 3D is going to get old fast. Chatroulette 3D? That’s more like it. 

(Am I totally wrong? Did I miss something obvious? Leave a comment below…)