Videoconference Privacy System

Most currently available videoconferencing systems do not take into account social cues that most of us use and understand in our day-to-day interactions with one another. Take for instance the issue of “privacy” in a group setting. Suppose that a number of people are engaged in a conversation, and one of them decides to impart some information to only one other member of the group. Usually, he or she would turn their head to the intended listener and raise their hand to their mouth before speaking. If such behaviour could be incorporated into a videoconferencing system, the users would benefit from an increased sense of copresence, despite being at remote locations. Thus, we are currently developing a system that can achieve just that. Through the use of Nintendo Wiimotes and Sensor bars, we can track such orientation and gestures such as hand raising. As a result, we can provide users with needed privacy and the ability excluding remaining members of the group from the side conversations. The overall result is a significant improvement over traditional videoconferencing systems.