Homemade XR: Enriching conversations and shortening social distancing

Abstract

This work shows an alternative way to shortening social distancing without breaking physical distancing, a medical recommendation in some health conditions, as the current COVID-19 pandemic. As an alternative to traditional video conferencing, this proposal allows persons to interact with their natural space while actively participating in a remote call. Each participant’s reality is extended with a visual representation of the other and binaural sound, enriching the conversation by the sense of the other’s proximity. This proposal uses quotidian technology, i.e., smartphones, and an immersive homemade device, to provide an affordable system to display and capture audio stereo and video.