Immersive Media goes off the map 19 Jun 2007

BusinessWeek has an interview with Immersive Media, the Canadian company behind Google Maps' new Street View images. Sounds like entertainment and advertising are next for the 360-degree-imaging treatment:

"[Immersive Chief Executive Myles McGovern] says immersive imaging will some day be streamed to set-top boxes. 'In sporting events and documentary shows, we will allow you to see what's developing behind the scenes,' he says. During a baseball game, for example, you might want to check out what's happening in the dugout, in the bullpen, or in the nosebleed seats.

"The final piece of the puzzle appears to be advertising. 'Immersive is something we're certainly looking at,' says Jason Tafler, senior vice-president of global business operations and strategy for PointRoll, the rich media advertising provider that popularized Internet rollover ads. The benefit would be to engage viewers in an entire scene built around a product or service, where you can walk around and get different perspectives. Adds Tafler: 'Anything that adds a layer of interactivity to online video is a big opportunity.'"