I-Corps: Translation Potential of Next Generation Telepresence Enriched by Immersive Technologies

This I-Corps project is based on the development of immersive telepresence, which is a technology that enables people at different locations to meet in virtual environments using realistic, three-dimensional representations of themselves. Immersive technologies are increasingly important for engaging remote learning solutions, advancing medical training tools and telemedicine, and growing virtual and augmented reality experiences in entertainment, sports, and other areas. Achieving a truly immersive and highly interactive user experience for telepresence requires significant network bandwidth, an ultra-low latency, and real-time processing to support fluid motion and user interaction. The goal of this project is to provide users with a sense of physical presence in remote locations by integrating high-fidelity video, spatial audio, and real-time interactive environments. This technology may provide practical, scalable solutions for real-world applications in an increasingly digital and connected world. This I-Corps project utilizes experiential learning coupled with a first-hand investigation of the industry ecosystem to assess the translation potential of live immersive content delivery technology. Live immersive content delivery forms the foundation for immersive telepresence, which is a key use case in the envisioned 6G communication landscape. Immersive telepresence enables users to experience a sense of physical presence in remote locations by integrating high-fidelity video, spatial audio, and real-time interactive environments. Unlike traditional communication methods, this technology leverages 3D representations, such as point clouds or meshes, allowing users six degrees of freedom (6DoF) motion, enabling them to move and interact naturally within virtual spaces. The technology builds on extensive research and prototyping efforts to address critical challenges in immersive content delivery, such as the need for high network bandwidth (>1 gigabits per second), ultra-low latency (<100 millisecond), and real-time streaming at a minimum of 30 frames per second. This innovation may have the potential to transform remote collaborations across fields such as education, healthcare, training, and business by overcoming geographical barriers and creating more engaging interactions. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.